Freedom For James
by Elvendork Amell
Summary: James Sirius Potter gets trapped in Fereldan and meets a young Anders at 16. James/Anders. A bit His Dark Material inspired in some respects.
1. Chapter 1 James Gets A Little Lost

_First entry on here, feedback would be greatly appreciated. First chapter of a Dragon Age/Harry Potter crossover fanfic. Set in the point of view of Harry's son James at 16 who meets a young Anders. Playing with the idea of a bit of James/Anders romance at this point. Also hint at a bit of Lily/Scorpious romance... Oh, and i like to reference The Hunger Games, Doctor Who and His Dark Materials ;)_

_Everything belongs to Bioware and JK Rowling, I just torture their creations. _

Chapter 1 – James Gets A Little Lost

James had wandered off from his father when he had gotten a message from James's Uncle Ron. The moment he had laughed at the message turned to James and said, "Right, I've got some important – work to do. Stay put," his father had given a stern look before adding "And don't tell your mother." This made James laugh as he pictured the look and angry ranting his father would get for leaving him to go to Ron about whatever joke was on that slip of paper. She had an ability to glare in a way that James would never admit still made him cower. It was the summer after his sixth year in Hogwarts, as he wanted to follow in his father's footsteps and be an auror his mother had insisted he went to work with him for a week through out the summer. Much to James's protesting, this was still going ahead. He longed for playing Quidditch in the forest with his brother and sister, like they would be doing now. In his head a fantasy situation had been created where Hugo and Rose had joined in and they were having a Quidditch tournament. He sighed and kicked the wall of the corridor he had been currently wandering down. _Like I was ever going to stay put_, James said to himself,_ the Ministry has to be way more interesting than dad's office! _Admittedly so far this hadn't been the case. He wandered aimlessly into a lift and wondered what button to press. His finger hovered over the one to the ninth level, a place that he had heard mention but was often something people did not seem to speak about around him, when the tall blonde man who had been watching him avidly spoke up.

"You're Potter's son, correct?" He said in a snide voice. This made James jump and turn around. He took in the man's appearance for the first time, it was Malfoy's father. James found his face contorting into a scowl. Scorpious Malfoy was a filthy pure-blood, muggle-hating Slytherin who his little sister Lily had been spending a little bit too much time with as of late.

"What's it to you?" James said back, sounding braver than his felt. He was always taught to be polite to is elders but he felt in the circumstance of an ex-deatheater's son, his father at least would approve.

"I wouldn't consider going down their if I were you, not even the _great Harry Potter's son _is important enough to go down _there_." His tone was so condescending and snide it made James have a feeling of defiance grow inside of him. Alongside a sense of curiosity, what was on level 9? He knew Draco Malfoy wouldn't believe him if he said he needed to go down there. He pressed the level just below his, 6, and leaned backwards.

"You can't be that important either if you're just going up to _level 5_," James responded which was greeted with a scowl. He smiled to himself at this. He was not going to let Malfoy get one over on him, especially not after he'd just insulted his father. Draco Malfoy left the lift without a word as the lift down to 6. In between James suddenly pressed 9, he was desperate to see what was down there. What was so special about level 9? He felt a sense of fear after the lift had gone to 6 and making it's way down to that mysterious level. Their was a sense in his stomach that he'd gotten whenever he'd snuck into Hogsmade using the secret passages on the map his father gave him. The one he was under no circumstances to tell his mother that he had passed on to him. It gave him a bit of a rush, the familiar sense of energy filled him. He just felt like a school student running around where he wasn't supposed to and hexing Slytherins rather than someone delving into a forbidden part of the Ministry of Magic.

As soon as the lift had stopped and he energetically made his way out of it into the dark corridor the enthusiasm faded a little. He felt all the hairs on his back and the nape of his neck stand on end, his palms became sweaty and he cautiously walked down the long corridor with an endless amount of doors. The sense that he wasn't supposed to be here had become over-whelming. This wasn't just a detention if he got caught, he wondered how far is father's influence could take him. Scenario's were playing out in his head of exaggeratedly unlikely events, he wouldn't make Askaban for trespassing... Right?

After he'd been walking slowly through the dark place for a couple of minutes he began to hear a low humming sound, he looked around nervously for the source of the noise. He saw nothing. He continued round the corridor and it became slightly louder. The further down it, the louder it became. His pace quickened and almost became a run as the excitement and fear drew inside him. The sound was so intriguing, he longed to know what it was. He is face had begun to have traces of a smile, one that left his since he had entered the Department of Mysteries. He came to stop as he realised which door the noise was originating from. He stayed in front of it for a moment, daring himself to enter. He desperately wanted to know what it was, the door stared at him begging for him to enter. A noise different to the soundtrack that had been playing in his head shocked him for a moment, people were near by. He needed to hide, his instincts took over him and opened the door suddenly. He rested on the closed entrance as his breathing began to calm down. He was safe, for the moment. He took in his surroundings. He stopped and stared, he was entranced.

Inside the almost black room there was nothing but mirrors, each one was much taller than James (who had inherited his father's scrawny apperance) and depicted something different. The first showed a pretty girl about James's age in the woods, a strange looking bow on her back. She was about to aim at something which looked like a deer, she missed. He continued onto the next one. This contained a weak, pale looking girl driving a red pick-up truck, he didn't have any interest in this one and continued to the next. There was a young girl and a young boy, both clearly teenagers. The boy had a strange knife that he seemed to cut air with. Their was another one with a beautiful looking red-haired girl inside a strange device filled with buttons and levers. She was talking to an overly excited looking man in a shirt, tweed jacket and bow tie. He stopped at this one for a while. He found himself gazing into mirror after mirror wondering what on earth they were depicting. Each one seemed to have a different story, with it's own characters. It was almost as if he had a window into each world – he'd read a book a little bit like this once.

He was fascinated with each one before he'd realised he'd been here for quite a while, until he gazed upon the most intriguing of all of them. It was just a room, it was filled with strange instruments and jars of items a couple of which he assumed he _must _have seen in Potions. There were statues depicting a woman he didn't recognise amongst other things. For some insane reason, he then felt the undying urge to touch the glass. He lifted his arm and slowly his fingers outstretched until the hovered above the mirror. He slowly moved them closer, he had only intended to graze it. He just wanted to brush it with his hand, to get a little closer to the room. Unfortunately, he got much closer than he originally thought he had.

There was a flash of white light and a strange sensation in his stomach, not unlike that of Floo powder and he was thrown into the mirror. Rather than feel the sensation of glass being smashed into him however, he felt like he was being dipped through cold water. He found himself stood inside the room, surrounded by the same objects he'd been admiring. He was in front of a statue of someone the writing had christened "The Prophet Andraste". He looked at this questioningly, he'd never heard of such a person. Clearly she was important though, he thought. He considered asking Rose when she next came round to his house, she was the brightest with in their year after all and the only person he knew who paid attention in History of Magic. He turned around to where he thought the mirror should be and just saw a bookcase. He tried touch it, nothing. He desperately looked around the room for a mirror or something made of glass. Anything at all. He couldn't find a thing, worry was beginning to fill through him. It evolved into fear when he heard the huge door behind him begin to open. He turned around helplessly looking for somewhere to hide. He had run out of time, the doors flung open.

Staring at him where seven very strangely dressed individuals. Six had huge silver armour on. The kind he'd seen in the books his Auntie Hermione had read to his cousins when they were much younger. They also carried what looked like huge swords. The most normal looking one was an old man with a long beard, he appeared to be dressed in what looked like wizard's robes. James's eyes automatically shot to this one, partly because the robed man was the only one with any indication of sympathy in his demeanor. The tallest and most important one stood forward, James could feel his authority but even he didn't have the courage to be defiant. He had absolutely no idea how much power he held. For the first time in his entire life James felt truly scared.

"So you were right Irving, there is an intruder in the cellars," the man said whilst standing closer to James. "A young mage planning an escape perhaps?" The robed man who the authoritive looking figure had called at Irving looked at him curiously.

"No, I do not believe he is one of ours." His voice oozed with with the indication of someone who was respected and James's initial impression was of someone very wise. "Perhaps Gregoir," Irving began, "He was just trying to break _into _the tower for refuge. Ours is much friendlier than those in other provinces... Such as Orlais, perhaps? A_nd he does suit the appearance of an Orlesian_." Irving had becoming closer to him through this entire speech and the look James received gave him the automatic impression that he should agree with everything Irving just said. For some reason, he seemed to be trying to help James. He took comfort in this and considered going along with this might be a good idea. "Is that right, boy?" Irving asked kindly. James found himself unable to make a sound and merely nodded. Gregoir looked suspicious at this convenience and glared at James.

"Hm, strange attire for an Orlesian apprentice," Gregoir questioned. James looked down at his muggle clothes he had donned for walking through London this morning. It was just a plain black t-shirt, old jeans with a Tornado's badge pinned on his chest. What on earth was strange about that? He asked himself. He was glad he was too dumb-founded to speak at the moment because Irving used this as a chance to speak up for him.

"Who are we to question the customs of Orlesians, Gregoir? Besides, if he was trying to leave the circle he would not wish to conform to that of a typical Orlesian apprentice."

"None the less, we should inform the Orlesian circle at once." Panic filled James at this point. He wasn't sure what this "Orlesian circle" they kept mentioning was but he knew that if they were informed of a missing so-called "apprentice" then that would be him in trouble. Fortunately, Irving came to his rescue again.

"Shouldn't we perhaps wait for them to contact us about a missing apprentice and house this boy for the meantime?" Irving asked fairly. One of the younger and less important armoured men with a stutter and bad skin came forward at this point.

"I d-d-don't believe that is of your c-c-concern first enchanter!" He snarled, or what was attempt to be a snarl behind that stutter thought James.

"I am the Knight-Commander here, not you!" Snapped Gregoir. He turned to Irving. "If that is what the first enchanter wishes then that is what will be done." He gestured to them armoured men. "Take him to the apprentice quarters on the first floor, I believe there's a free bed above that -"

"Perhaps Gregoir," Irving suggested. "He should be brought to a healer first. The boy is clearly in shock and dazed."

"Fine," said Gregoir in irritation. "Take him!" Irving followed demanding his apperance. One of the younger armoured men grabbed James from the back of his robes. They were rough and he felt their gauntlets scratch the back of his neck. He thought for a moment it might bleed as they dragged him up the stairs and tears began to sting his eyes before he forced them not to roll down his cheeks. Irving looked at him with pity as they were taken from the cellars. James quickened his pace to keep up with the men and so he didn't feel as if he was being dragged as much.

They passed through a tall doorway and entered a building not unlike Hogwarts. James however still looked around stunned at the brief glances he was allowed, the high ceilings and magnificent windows. The extraordinary engravings on walls and pillars were something he would have examined further were he not being dragged. He was take through another room filled with books that he suspected Rose would love and he assumed must be the library. That was were he saw many young boys and girls who must have been about his age. They were staring at him curiously. One particular boy stood out, he had sandy blonde hair and was stood there with his arms folded. James tried to tell whether the look in his eyes was pity or interest. It could have been both. The next was less interesting and a corridor that was much the same as the first room until a staircase was reached.

He was taken into a room with a middle-aged woman sat in the corner with short greying hair who looked as if she had may have once been beautiful. She was wearing scarlet robes and a smile which did not look forced. She looked over curiously as the men dropped me into the room. Fortunately, Irving spoke first.

"This young mage," What was this word they keep calling me? Thought James. "Seems to be from the Orlesian circle. We found him in the cellars, he seems to be in shock and in need of healing. I convinced the Knight-Commander to let him come here for healing, Wynne." He turned to the men who had brought James there. "You should get back to your duties I presume, gentlemen?" The men glared at Irving as James felt a smug sense of satisfaction. They seemed to leave anyway and the middle-aged woman looked curiously at James.

"Now," she asked. "What is your name, young man?" James tried to speak but he couldn't. As he mouthed helplessly at her, she gave him a kind look and gestured for him to sit down in a comfy looking chair. She walked over to a shelf and took a bottle, she read it carefully and then handed it to him. "Drink this," she said. James obliged and suddenly felt a warmth filling his body he felt much better all of a sudden.

"James," he said. "James Potter."

"Hm, very Orlesian." Wynne said giving a look to Irving that James couldn't quite read. "How did you get into the tower?"

"I – I d-don't know," with a stutter that rivaled the young stutter man in armour. "One moment I was in the Ministry of -" That was when Irving raised a hand to silence him whilst Wynne looked at him as if she desired him to continue.

"I think I'll talk to him in my office," Irving said suddenly. "Come with me." James followed him through the elegant looking door. He observed the sandy blonde-haired boy hiding behind a pillar watching them. He's following us, James thought. This made him smile. He enjoyed seeing people doing what he would have done in the exact same circumstances. James however was torn between liking this situation and hating it. Normally, he adored attention but right now he wished he was being ignored. Although, apart of him really wanted to met the sandy blonde-haired boy. He followed Irving for a while until they reached what he announced as his office. The room was filled with books and strange objects and chests that was not unlike that of the Headmistress's in Hogwarts. When Irving spoke James's head snapped up.

"So, tell me what happened, young boy, from the moment the templars found you in the cellars."

"Templars?" James asked.

"The men who found you and govern this tower." Irving paused as had a slightly annoyed glance towards the doorway. He was almost looking through James. "They guard and watch over us mages, sometimes for good reason." He finished his irritation sounding as if it was growing, more towards these Templars however rather than James himself.

"Mages?" James asked again, this place was beginning to annoy him as well. He felt stupid.

"I would have to know where you are from to know what term is used from your homeland, now if you don't mind?" James scrunched up his eyes in concentration as he started to relay what he could.

"I don't know, my father works in the Ministry of Magic. I was at work with him one day and I went wondering off, which I know I shouldn't have done – I was bored!" James began to defend himself until Irving just chuckled.

"Youth often thirsts for adventure and oozes curiosity," Irving gestured for James to continue.

"Well, that's when I went into the lift and ended up at level 9 'cause I've heard my mum and dad and their friends talk about in hushed voices but they refused to tell me what it was. I always got a 'some things shouldn't be talked about' rather than them actually telling me. So I went down to see what was there. I found a door and when I walked into it there were all these mirrors and," at this moment a look of comprehension had filled Irving's face but he still told James to continue all the same. "- I touched one and... Here I am," James said attempting to keep his tone light-hearted rather than resentful.

"Well, Mr. Potter," Irving began in a low voice. "I believe this is how you came to this world, but others will not be as... Open-minded." Irving hesitated as he furrowed his brow. "Stick to the story I gave you if anyone, which they will, asks. For the moment you are a young apprentice who is new to the tower who has arrived from Orlais," James opened his mouth to ask but Irving seemed to read his mind and answer his unanswered question. "It's another province, you are currently in Fereldan. Stick to that story -"

"But how will I get home?" James asked in a hushed voice, filling with panic. He longed for a home-cooked meal and a warm fire. He would even settle for his mother's scolding right now.

"Ah, I believe, Mr. Potter, that is for you to discover. You appear to have been brought to our world for a reason." The tone in his voice suddenly switched to louder with much more clarity after this. "Here are your apprentice robes," he handed him some apprentice robes. "I believe young Anders who has been waiting at the door can escort you to the apprentice quarters," he said with a slight sense of humour in his voice. James turned around confused and the young sandy blonde-haired boy from earlier with an embarrassed expression made himself visible and then stood there. He was slightly affronted at being discovered but that suddenly turned to a huge grin. James started to walk forward but turned around to get one last look at Irving who ushered him forward. James walked forward to join step with Anders who stopped immediately as soon as they were out of earshot of Irving.

"So," He began holding out his hand. "I'm Anders." James took it.

"I'm James, James Potter," James replied feeling at ease for the first time since he got here. Anders looked at him curiously.

"I saw those bastard Templars drag you in here," he said sympathetically. James nodded.

"They are complete bastards," he responded a little sadly. He felt Anders comforting hand on his shoulder, a sense of warmth filled him.

"I've ran away, been locked up and beaten more times than I could count, trust me I know. Were you trying to run away too?"

"Something like that," James said with a forced laugh.

"Thank god I'm not the only one with the guts to do it!" Anders responded excitedly. They had started to walk away at this point. "The rest of them," he began but much quieter as they went down a set of stairs. "They just comply to it, the don't realise they are pushed because the Templars need them to be controlled... That's what they want." James assumed they had reached the apprentice quarters at this point because Anders quickly added. "Wait! There's a free bed just above me, you can take that one." He said with a grin on his face. James looked at him curiously, he liked Anders but wondered why people seemed to keep a distance from him - by the sounds of it it sounded as if just because he was willing to stand up to the Templars. If James had never met one he wouldn't take this as a good enough reason. James got up onto the top bunk with his belongings. Anders pointed to the badge on his chest.

"What's that?" He asked curiously.

"It stands for the Tornados," James replied automatically, "The Quidditch team," he added when Anders looked confused. "You don't have Quidditch here?" James ended with shock based on Anders's expression. He shrugged with the same never faltering smile. James laughed as he placed the pillows on his bed in a more comfortable position and Anders climbed up. They sat face to face on his bed. James's curiosity got the better of him.

"How did you end up here?" He asked. Anders face for the first time appeared sad and James immediately regretted asking him.

"The – the Templars took me from my mother when I was little. I don't really remember her," He paused as he played with the blanket. He looked up forcing a smile. "I'm from the Anderfels, I think. How did you end up here?" James shrugged.

"The Templars found me in the cellar before that -" He hesitated. He promised Irving he wouldn't say a word. "- I just ended up... I'm not sure. I think I banged my head or something -" James added pathetically. Anders seemed to believe it however.

"Fair enough," he said.

They stayed up talking for a while until the Templars had deemed it 'lights out'. James wrapped himself in his blanket desperately wishing for it to be his own bed. He longed for his family and his room, a mug of hot chocolate bought up by his mother. His mother's home-cooked food. His irritating younger siblings. He begged for them all right now. All the strength he'd put into not crying over-whelmed him and they all started to run down his face, he was there for a couple of minutes before a familiar dark silhouette pulled himself onto eye-level with him.

"My first night here was hard too," he whispered. James took comfort in this.

"I'm not crying," he whispered back defiantly. Anders laughed quietly.

"Of course not, want some company for a little while?" Anders whispered back.

"Won't you get into trouble with the Templars?" Anders shrugged.

"Oh well." James smiled as Anders got onto his bed. He had originally put his arm around him as James snuggled into him but he got the blanket and attempted to put it over Anders. He took it and they both cuddled close into each other. For the first time since reaching this place James felt safe and wanted as he felt Anders's heartbeat and fell asleep.


	2. Chapter 2 The First Clue

_Thanks for your reviews on my first chapter =] Greatly appreciated... As was points made by paili-chan which made me change some of the overall themes of this chapter. Mainly how James's magic will work in the Dragon Age world, might edit the first chapter to incorporate this more. I'm undecided at present. Anyway, enjoy!_

Chapter 2 – The First Clue

James discovered the next day just to what extent people gave Anders a wide berth. They were sat on their own in the library that morning, the lessons James was supposed to be starting with his new friend were supposed to be running but they had been told to 'study' instead. This had been for undisclosed reasons, James overhead lots of young apprentices gossiping animatedly for what reasons. Suggestions were as tame as 'perhaps the professors aren't well' to as insane as one young boy swearing he saw Irving and Gregoir having a full on battle in Irving's study. Anders and James were sat at a desk in the corner by themselves whilst most of the apprentices their age were sat a big common table. They were many whisperings and looking overs from them, Anders seemed to ignore this but it made James uneasy. He hadn't quite anticipated this much and he wasn't used to this. Back in Hogwarts he'd me surrounded by his band of Gryffindors, right now he'd be the one in the centre having everyone stare in awe hanging on his every word. Here, he was an outsider. He couldn't understand what was wrong with Anders. People here are cowards, thought James, if the Templars were at Hogwarts... No one would stand for it.

"They're staring at us," James said annoyedly as they were sat there after a couple of girls at the end of the table had started giggling at them. Anders turned to take a look, he shrugged.

"Louisa and Elaine, mindless bitches." He said definitely. James gave him an odd look then turned back to them, apart from the irritating noise they were making almost like drunken hyenas they seemed harmless enough. "Besides, I think they're just staring at you." James was taken aback by this.

"Me? Why?" Anders rolled his eyes.

"You're new and _interesting._ Nothing happens much inside the towers and we're -" Anders paused for a moment. "Locked away from anything out there, not that Fereldan looks particularly interesting." He added resentfully.

"You've seen it?" James replied with astonishment. Anders gave a suddenly proud look.

"Oh yeah, loads of times. I know how to break up into the attic to the section where half of the roof has come away, I was thinking about using it for my next escape -" Anders stopped talking instantly when he noticed one of the girls had come to the table. James smiled at her as she approached, she held out her hand to him.

"I'm Louisa, Louisa Vane," she smiled sweetly. James took her hand. _Vane_, he thought, there was something familiar about that name. She was quite pretty – small, pale, freckles and her dark brown hair tied back into a neat ponytail.

"James, James Potter," he replied nodding. He smiled at her and she started giggling. He was a little confused, this was expected from the odd third or forth year back at Hogwarts but this was just a little peculiar. Wow, thought James, they really do never see new people here.

"What do you want?" Anders snapped immediately. James looked at him surprised by his sudden change in tone, he couldn't picture Anders speaking to him like that and was he imagine or was there a hint of jealousy in his voice? Louisa however did not look even close to having even a note of surprise. She ignored him.

"You know, you don't have to sit with _him_," she gestured at him with a scowl. "You can sit with us," she pointed at the table. "I'm sure we'll be much nicer company." She gave a resentful look towards Anders, James begun to understand why Anders was so rude to her.

"I think I have good enough company right here thanks," James said feeling his whole body stiffen.  
Louisa leaned in closer to him and spoke in what she clearly thought was a whisper but he knew Anders would be able to hear every word.

"Look, he's... Strange. He'll get you into trouble, he's not _like _us. You're better off with us, _they'll_leave you alone if they do." James didn't have to ask to know immediately "they" meant the Templars.

"At least I have a brain," Anders piped up unhelpfully. Louisa looked directly at him as if he was little more than a slug and proceed to shrug at James.

"Have it your way," she sang as she waltzed away. James turned to Anders who had suddenly become very interested in carving into the desk.

"She's probably right you know," he mumbled.

"I don't care." Anders looked up at this confused.

"The Templars will treat you worse if you stay with me."

"Perhaps."

"You could have an easy life."

"No one has an easy life." There eyes met at this last statement, a gaze which was filled with unspoken words. Something which conveyed Anders's gratitude and what he thought was understanding. In his mind he had finally found someone who understood him and his ever-growing hatred for the Templars. Perhaps it he was someone who had tried to evade and rebel them like he had, in reality James just had a look in his eye that many had seen in his father. That look which was determined to stand up for what he thought was right. That's what James felt he had to do, his inner Gryffindor wasn't going to sit down with the rest of them, even if he didn't know both sides of the story. James saw Anders's face go back to that lost look as he longingly gazed at the apprentices around the table. James tried to get back to a topic when Anders was much more cheerful.

"So, what's it like in the attic?" James asked. Anders's eyes light up and James knew he had said the right thing.

"It's brilliant, it's like... It's the outside it's just -" Anders gestured with his hands erratically trying to explain something that he'd tasted that was so miraculous. James couldn't even begin to understand what it was like to suddenly have that feeling of freedom when being locked up for so long. He always thought he didn't have the freedom to do as he pleased back home, that his parents were constantly controlling him and he couldn't make his own decisions. Now he saw just how wrong he really was, he had something Anders craved.

"I can't imagine -" James started when the were interrupted by a tall, proud looking man. He had receding dark hair, a pointed nose and his lips looked as if they were permanently crafted into a sneer.

"Excuse me young apprentice but the First Enchanter wishes to see you in his office _promptly_," the man's expression slowly turned into one of curiosity. James spoke before the man could.

"Where is his office exactly?"

"Oh I am far too busy to walk you there myself, perhaps -" he paused and looked at Anders with his returned sneer. "This young man can take you, I'm sure he has nothing better to do." Anders stuck his tongue out at him and stood up.

"Yes, Ser Mage," He replied sardonically. James stifled laughter. As they began to walk out before the mage could scold Anders the man spoke.

"Wait, you." He pointed at James who immediately straightened up, his first reaction was 'what have I done?' He knew this was ludicrous, he had not been in the Circle long enough to cause mischief. "There's something radiating off you something I've never seen before. Magic," his look became more cautious unsure of whether to be weary. "Not bad exactly but strong, something I've never seen before." Anders looked at James astounded and confused. He decided this was a bad line of conversation.

"Anders, we should probably leave," Anders looked as if he'd rather listen to the mage even longer but he followed James's lead and showed him the way to Irving's office. They walked the familiar path their steps practically in sync.

"So," began Anders. "What's the Circle like back where you're from?" James stared at his feet, normal circumstances he could lie fairly easily. He had had much experience in this from his parents and Hogwart's professors. This was a different matter entirely however, he didn't want _  
_to lie to his one friend here. What he felt for Anders was special, to betray the trust because of that just seemed... Wrong.

"Um... Well, like this one I guess." James said lamely, Anders looked at him curiously.

"Are the Templars worse or better?" James thought about this for a moment, there had to be a reason why he ran away to this one. Then he remembered what Irving had said when he first reached this place:_ Ours is much friendlier than those in Orlais_...

"Worse," James murmured. Anders looked wide-eyed at the thought.

"Worse than here?" James felt a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. "I can't imagine it." He felt guilt rise up inside him, he wanted to be honest with Anders. He knew that wasn't really possible and lying was necessary. He didn't want his new friend to think him insane, he knew if he went to Hogwarts with stories about Fereldan he'd be carted off to St. Mungos. "How -"

"Isn't this the First Enchanter's office?" James interrupted. Anders nodded slightly affronted and they walked inside.

"I believe I asked for just young James," Irving said slightly amused.

"First Enchanter, the mage who sent the message commanded me to show him the way," Anders said quickly. Irving chuckled.

"If you could wait outside young man I'll bring your friend back to you in but a moments time," Irving said with a smile. James was instantly comforted when he spoke to the First Enchanter, he seemed like a strong, wise man. He had a warm smile but James couldn't imagine that anything could defeat him. It was as if he commanded instant respect just by his name being uttered.

"Now," Irving began when Anders was, assumedly, out of ear shot. "I can only imagine you have plenty of questions -" He held his hand up to silence James as he began to speak. "- Listen to what I have to say young boy, you will have your chance to speak soon. I must to begin question you about your own world. What do you know of demons from your own world?"

"Demons?"

"Demonic forces? Possession?" James shook his head. "Blood magic? Dark magic?"

"Well..." James screwed up his face a little. "... I've heard of dark magic, my dad fights it in the Ministry. And there was loads of what they called 'deatheaters' who were led by Lord Voldermort decades ago... They used loads of dark magic." Irving listened with interest to this.

"But you yourself have never been taught of the dangers of it."

"Well, we learn to defend ourselves against in Defence Of The Dark Arts." Irving looked at him curiously.

"Young man, did you wonder how we knew instantly you were of magical ability?" James shook his head. "Ah, it was because you have a magic so powerful radiating from you you could hardly be anything else. It is not _uncommon _for a presence of magical ability to be evident to the Templars on occasion and mages can sometimes feel it but this strong..." He pondered this for a moment and then continued. "The fade, the land of dreams. What do you know of this?"

"I know about _Legilimency?_Sort of," suggested James. Irving tilted his head.

"What manner of magic would that be?" James squinted his eyes as he tried to remember what he had learned about it.

"Umm... I think it's kind of like reading minds or something?"

"Ah, no, nothing like that." Irving gave him the same curious look he had received a lot. "Hm, I wonder."

"Wonder what, sir?" James asked politely.

"Well, it seems as if mages or -" Irving stopped. "I'm sorry, what term would I use from your world?"

"Wizards and witches," James answered.

"Well, it seems wizards and witches from were you originate have different form of magic. If that makes sense. It's almost as if -" Irving paused. "- James, I wish for you to come to my office tomorrow evening. I want to investigate this theory further, if that would be agreeable to you?" James nodded but he did not feel as if he could do anything else. "Splendid, I shall send a message to you when I desire your presence. Now I'll let you get back to running around with young Anders." Irving finished this with his particular warm smile James thanked him and left. As soon as he left the office Anders turned on him.

"I was listening." James stood there dumbstruck. He had no idea how to deal with this. "Explain, now." There was a look in Anders's eyes, one of anger and betrayal. James had to be honest with him, he knew it.

"I – just -" James looked around timidly. "Let me explain, not here!" He pulled Anders back to down to the first floor and to the first empty room he found. He shut the door and get out his wand, he cast an incantation and was thankful they had learned silent incantations in Defence that year. He turned around and proceeded to tell Anders everything about where he was really from.

"So you're from – where is it?"

"London!" James says exasperatedly.

"Right, right and you somehow got into a portal that ended up here?"

"Yes!"

"Where there are no Templars?"

"No!"

"And you go to a magical school ran by mages?"

"Yes." Anders raised his eyebrows and threw him a worried look.

"You're crazy." James sighed and then had a sudden stroke of inspiration.

"No I'm not, I'll prove it. I'll take you down to where I appeared from. There has to be a portal there somewhere I can show you." Anders raised his eyebrows.

"Are you suggesting, that we break into the repositary in the basement?"

"Yes."

"A place forbidden by the Templars?"

"Yes."

"To potentially go to a place that isn't the circle?" James nodded. Anders shrugged. "Alright, I'm game."

They waited for nightfall. James had shown Anders his previously-owned invisibility cloak which he had from his father and was under no circumstances to tell his mother had been given to him. Anders stared at in awe and was questioning him about it rapidly as they snuck past the Templars to the basement. James had to step on his foot and kick him over and over again to stop them being overheard.

"Anders! We're invisible, that doesn't mean they can't hear us!"

"Oh yeah, sorry I forgot." Anders would say whenever this came up. "You know, this is a bit small, if it had been bigger..."

"Well, it's not supposed to fit two people under it." James said fairly, he didn't add he wasn't complaining about how close Anders was to him right now. James could feel Anders's warm breath against his neck. It was quite comforting. "Don't worry, we can stop as soon as we get to the basement... I think."

"How are we supposed to get in there?" Anders asked. "Won't it be locked or something?" James hadn't thought about this part, he was used to knowing the secret passageways of Hogwarts and thus never having this problem. Then something Irving had implied about the differences in magic struck James, maybe it wouldn't be such a problem.

"Could we use magic?" James whispered as he saw a Templar march towards them, Anders waiting until he had passed them both before answering. Finally, he's learning, thought James.

"I've heard some doors in this place can't be opened with magic," Anders paused thoughtfully. "Or with a certain type of magic, one that isn't taught here."

"Huh, man, they really don't trust you here."

"I thought you said Templars are worse were you come from?" James could feel Anders's suspicious gaze and realised that he made a mistake.

"I – uh, well, hey! isn't that the basement?" James said pointing, changing the subject.

"Oh yeah!" Anders said animatedly. The thrill of having someone to go adventuring with seemed to have made him forget how suspicious he was.

The big, brown door to the basement was heavy but together they both managed to open it. The corridor was eerie and was covered in various shades of grey. When they got to the door Anders tried to open it with a spell, a light blue colour erupted from his hands but the magic wouldn't touch the door.

"What?" Anders said incredulously. He turned to James. "We can't get in!" James tilted his head at the door and thought about this for a moment. He pointed at the words above the door.

"What does that say?" He asked Anders. He examined it for a moment.

"I think..." Anders hesitated, the looked disheartened. "You need a priest or Templar to walk through with a mage." James had walked towards the door whilst Anders was saying this and pulled out his wand.

"Alohamora!" James whispered, he heard the door click as it opened. "Or perhaps not," James said smugly as he opened it. Anders gave him a dumb-founded look.

"How-?" James sighed exasperatedly.

"Irving explained my magic might work differently in this place." When he said this there was a slight look in Anders's eyes, one that looked as if for a second he was starting to believe James but then thought better of it.

"Right, right, of course," Anders replied sardonically. "I think you might have hit your heard harder than you thought..." James found himself holding his tongue at this point. He didn't want to argue so he just stayed silent as he walked to the next door.

"I don't think magic can be used on this one," Anders said examining the carvings above the door. James squinted at the door.

"This isn't where..." He looked down the hall. "It's that one over there!" Anders followed James's gaze.

"You sure?" James nodded. They went down the hall to the door and they managed to open it with ease. Inside was the familiar room that James saw through the portal that he had originally been amazed by. Anders, who had never seen this room, before looked fascinated.

"That statue!" He said pointing to a statue of a woman across the room. "I think that's Tevinter." James nodded and pretend to understand what he was talking about. "So," Anders turned to look at James. "Where did you appear from?" James looked around the room trying to retrace his steps. "I think I just -" He paused. "I just kind of was thrown into this place and I landed -" He walked towards a wall at the far end of the room and gestured to the piece of floor in front of an old chest. "- Here." James walked towards the chest and tried to open it. It was locked, he left it alone for the moment and stared at the wall. He took out his wand and tapped the wall, nothing happened for a moment but then a purple light filled the room as what looked almost like a glowing flesh wound appeared on the wall. Out of it came a creature James had seen in Defence Against The Dark Arts, something his father had taught him to fight after a summer of begging, something Anders had never seen anything like before. A black shape, a dark cloaked creature, something James had only seen in boggart form. A dementor.

Anders entire body shook with fear as the black veiled creature appeared from what seemed to be no where. He had never felt such a magical presence never mind seen one. He fired spells at it, it didn't waver. The thing glided towards him. All the hope inside him had gone, it was like he was being drained of the few happy memories he had ever had. They were disappearing. His first escape attempt and the feeling of freedom. The moment when he first saw that slim, young boy with the dark messy hair enter the circle for the first time - being dragged by the Templar's like he had been so often. The night James was first here with his head on his chest, that feeling of being warm and wanted. Everything started to fade as he begun to think of the night he was dragged away from his mother – the screaming and yelling filled his head. He was attempting to cling onto his happy memories but they were disappearing. That's when he heard James yell some words he couldn't quite make out.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" James bellowed. Anders looked over in confusion and found himself being frozen in shock as a huge, dog that was blinding white ran towards the creature. It ran the thing down, the two disappeared. Anders turned and saw James panting and hunched over. Clearly whatever he had just done had exhausted him. Anders walked over weakly and used a regeneration spell which soothed James.

"Andraste's knickerweasels! Where did you learn to do that?" Anders said, eyes filled with shock. "I've – I've never seen magic like that before! I can feel it... Radiating off you."

"Back home," James whispered, his eyes staring at his feet. Anders gave James a look which he couldn't read but didn't question this.

"What was that – thing?"

"A dementor, it sucks the happiness out of you-" James tilted his head at Anders. "You need chocolate." He searched his pockets for the piece he'd eaten half of earlier and offered to him. Anders look very confused but shrugged and accepted it.

"They let you do that back at the circle you're from?" Anders asked munching on the square. He was clearly surprised at the warmth that was growing inside of him and realised his odd friend had in fact been correct. James felt a growing irritation inside of him, to most people he had been feigning the 'I-hit-my-head-quite-hard-and-don't-remember-anything' story. He wanted his one friend in this place to believe him.

"No! Back in Hogwarts!" James had insisted whilst Anders looked at him. James could tell Anders didn't believe him but the scepticism wasn't as strong as it had been previously. Perhaps he was beginning to question what he had previously thought.

"Right, right, Hogwarts. So back there the templars just let you do this?"

"There aren't any templars."

"Really?" Anders asked turning around a sense of hope filling him.

"No, non-magical people don't know about us. So they can't oppress us. We have our own government and everything. We watch other our own."

"But then how will they learn that you're not to be feared?"

"After what a dark wizard did years ago that's not necessary. Even if my father, a wizard, did stop him. It was still magic that created all that damage and caused so much harm."

"But you are free?"

"Yes."

"No templars?"

"Yes." Maybe it was James's imagination but Anders seemed to be starting to believe him.

"Okay, say you're right, and you really are trapped in a different... What did you say?"

"Dimension," James repeated calmly.

"How did you get here?"

"I was in the Department of Mysteries -"

"The what?"

"Oh, it's a sector of the Ministry of Magic -"

"There's a Ministry of Magic?" Exclaimed Anders.

"Yes, yes, our own government. This is going to take a lot longer if I have to explain everything." I started. "So, my father works in the Ministry and I was at work with him when I .. Well, I started to wander off. I was bored!" I was trying to defend myself like I was being threatened with detention back at school. I cleared my throat before I continued. "I ended up in this room with these many mirrors, all depicting different things. One had a girl with a strange looking bow shooting at a deer, another had a girl with a stick fighting a tall man in a long leather jacket, another had a group of rather small looking people (almost like what you would call dwarves I suppose) wandering through the woods... There was loads of them! So I saw one that looked like this very room. I thought the statues and potions looked interesting, I placed my hand on the glass and..." I shrugged. That was all there was to the story.

"If this is true," Anders began. "And I say if – why would you be brought here?"

"I don't know!" I said exasperatedly. Then I thought for a moment. "Although, that woman looked familiar. The chantry mother we saw earlier. I think -" I hesitated and looked back up at Anders. "I think my father showed me a portrait of her in the Ministry, he hated her, like really hated her – he gave her a glare I'd never seen before." Worse than the one he gives the Malfoys when he sees at King's Cross James said to himself. He tried to remember the portrait, this he could picture vividly. He just couldn't recall the name.

"Wait? Are you talking about Mother Dolores?" Anders faked a shudder. "She's a bitch -"

"Dolores! That's it! Dolores Umbridge! She's the portrait I saw!"

"So you're saying, that she's from were you are from?" Anders raised an eyebrow at this. He wasn't sure whether he was ready to believe this. Then he thought for a moment. "Wait, she only came a few years. Everyone says -"

"What?"

"Everyone says that no one quite knows where she appeared from. She just appeared in the circle one day dazed and confused one day, like you. When she demanded she had no magic ability the Templars reluctantly let her go. They swore they could feel the magic but they found no connection to the fade. She's been with the chantry ever since." Anders shrugged. James was about to ask what he meant by the 'fade' but Anders continued talking. "If she really is here, what has that go to do with you?" James had never told Anders this part because he felt Anders would think he was insane. He decided now was the chance to risk it.

"I felt a presence bringing me towards the mirror, almost something that was daring me to touch it. Maybe this is why! Umbridge isn't supposed to be here!" Anders gave him a stunned glance for a moment, it all seemed to fit.

"So if this is true -" he paused. Looking at his one friend he'd ever had in his hazel eyes. "That means Umbridge will go back to where she's from."

"Yes!" James said excitedly, his friend was beginning to believe him.

"But you'd have to go," Anders said, he hadn't even tried to hide the upset in his voice. The two shared a glance as their hazel eyes met each other. Anders had never had a friend in the circle before, not a true friend. They all stayed away from him and his ever growing need to anger the Templars. James had stayed by his side and even joined him. They had something Anders had never had before and he craved so much. It wasn't only that, there was something that gaze that had been growing rapidly since their first meeting. An ever-growing want, he didn't just wish for his friend to stay. He _needed_ James to stay.

"Yes," James said as the realisation of never seeing Anders again hit him. "I would have to go." The two eyes hadn't even wavered through out this. It was if they were daring each other to say what had to be on at least one of their minds. Neither of them mentioned it but Anders did what he felt was one of the strongest, bravest things he had ever done.

"Well, why are we standing around for? We gotta figure out why that bitch is here and a way to get you both home, dead or alive in her case." Anders said in the happy, joking voice he often adopted. It had never been quite so forced before though, something he was hoping James would notice. He didn't and forced a laugh.

"Yeah, we should."


	3. Chapter 3 A Little Over James's Head

_Anders and James get a little closer, a little bit of violence but think I manage to say within the same rating. This one is a little bit shorter._

_Everything belongs to Bioware and JK Rowling, I just torture their creations. _

Chapter 3 – James Gets In A Little Over His Head

Anders didn't go up to James's bunk that night, Anders was attempting to distance himself from him. He wanted to so much and ached to go straight up to him. He wanted to feel James's warm body against him. The one person he had ever wanted so much was so very close to him, he was desperate for his touch. Desperate. James felt the same, he was lying on his bed just realising how huge a single bed was. That's when he swallowed his pride and leaned over the edge of the bed holding himself in sight of Anders who was staring in his direction.

"Fancy some company?" James asked timidly. Everything in Anders's head was saying "No, don't let him! He's going to leave you, you can't let yourself do this!" Of course, what Anders ended up saying was:

"Of course," with a slight smile. How much James's face lit up at this comment however made it all worth it. He climbed down quickly and gracefully. He found his place in Anders's arms, they fit around James perfectly. He felt Anders's warm breath against his neck. The feeling of being wanted returned.

"Thank you," James whispered.

"What for?"

"Believing me."

"Ha, thank you."

"For?"

"Saving my life, duh." James laughed at this and snuggled further in Anders's arms as they tightened around him.

"Juice?"

James's head snapped up at the common table. He saw Anders with a smile on his face and a pitcher. It took James a moment to realise what Anders was talking about so James stared at Anders blankly. He shrugged and poured James a cup anyway, he took it and nodded a thanks. As far as James was concerned, mornings were not a time for thinking. Or speaking. Mornings were quiet time.

"So," Anders began, a mouth full of toast and marmalade. James looked up at this sight with raised eyebrows. "We need a plan."

"Yes..." James began dusting the crumbs from his freshly laundered robes. "Well, I have to go see Irving at some point." Anders looked thoughtful.

"When?"

"No idea," James answered truthfully. "I guess we could -" He hesitated. "We should speak to Mother Dolores." James decided, Anders's expression showed James Anders did not understand why. "I think I look quite a lot like my father." Anders tilted his head in confusion. "She knows – she has some connection to -" James gave a sharp intake of breath. How did he explain Harry Potter to someone with absolutely no knowledge of the Wizarding World? "My father is rather, well, very, famous were I'm from."

"Why?" Anders said, his eyes a little wide.

"Well," James lowered his voice to a whisper. "Decades ago when he was born. A really dark wizard called Lord Voldermort was really powerful. He thought non-magical people were, well, scum and he tried to create a world were he and his followers, wizards called deatheaters, would reign supreme."

"Like Tevinter," Anders whispered.

"Tevinter?"

"I'll explain later, continue."

"Well, obviously that's wrong but also - because were I come from magic can be inherited by blood Voldermort and all his followers also thought anyone who came from a non-magical family but was a wizard was also..." James cleared his throat. "Scum." Anders looked shocked at this news but didn't interrupt. "So, my grandparents were killed by him when my father was just a baby. Using the killing curse which no one has ever survived accept my father. So he's always been famous, thing is he's kind of spent all his life fighting against Voldermort and he was the one who killed him once and for all so -" James suddenly realised he was around someone who didn't wince when he said the word 'Voldermort'. This made him feel a little uneasy.

"You reckon that Mother Dolores, if she's who you think she is, will recognise you because of your father?"

"Yeah, oh, _I think_ they've met. I'm not certain." James added. "I think we should go see her as soon as we've finished breakfast." He finished as he picked up a piece of toast and marmalade. Anders nodded and picked up another two pieces of toast.

"Or just, now!" He stood up quickly and excitedly. James followed his lead and they both made their out of the dining room with a lot of curious eyes following them. James was used to attention, normally he revelled in the fact that he was the great Harry Potter's son and thus envied and adored by Gryffindors. Hated by Slytherins admittedly but that didn't matter to James. This current situation however made him uncomfortable. He was grateful for Anders, although James did know very little about anyone else in the Circle he was getting the impression that not one other person would have helped him. They would have been way too scared to. That doesn't mean James didn't miss his reputation as _James Potter_, with his Maurader's Map, invisibility cloak and three friends who he missed dearly. They were admired by so many people at Hogwarts, they were the ones sat in the crowd of people telling a joke that everyone laughed at. Or a story that may or may not have been true that many were hanging on the word of. This was all strange to him, he felt alienated here. Although he did have Anders, James had no one like him back home. James smiled as he gave a subtle look to his companion. Anders had sandy blonde hair which fell a little into his eyes, it looked careless and messy. James suspected that Anders just didn't care enough to do anything with it though where as James had inherited his father's hair. It just wouldn't lie flat, no matter what he did.  
"So, what actually _is _the Chantry?" James asked.

"Uh, well -" Anders hesitated. "It's a religion, they believe the Maker created everything and we go join him when we die. Thing is -" He sighed and his voice lowered. "The Chantry kind of use their religion to oppress mages. See it's a human creation, the Maker created mages humans created the Chantry. So it's not really – well, we'll talk later. Away from here." James nodded. They walked into the area mainly populated by Chantry sisters. "That's her!" Anders pointed to an older woman in the corner. She was talking to two much younger women, James snorted to himself. She looked exactly like how her father had described her: a toad. "Let's go!" Anders said enthusiastically, James grabbed him by the back of robes.

"Hold it," Anders turned around confused when there was a sudden stop in him being able to go any further.

"What are we actually going to do? Go up to her and go 'You don't belong in this world!'? We need a plan. We need to be subtle." James said logically.

"Any suggestions?" James thought for a moment. He actually had no idea what he should do. "I've got a plan! Have you met her yet?"

"No."

"So in theory, we should be able to read a lot into her reaction when she sees you correct?"

"Presumably..." James said curiously, where on earth was Anders going with this?

"Follow me." James followed him wearily, Anders worried him occasionally. They walked towards Umbridge, Anders started chatting animatedly looking at James as if he had no idea she was there.

"So, this is where you'll find most of the Chantry sisters -" Anders purposely bumped into the back of Umbridge, James could not help but wonder at this point whether he knew what he was actually doing. This thought was even stronger in his mind when the toad turned around at this point, even Anders was a little taken aback but cleared his throat and continued. He would so be in Gryffindor, thought James. "Sorry Mother, I was just showing James, the new apprentice, around -" Umbridge looked down and her and James's eyes met for a moment. It may have been his imagination but he was sure she thought he looked familiar.

"Ah, our new apprentice," She began with an irritatingly high pitched voice. "From Orlais I believe?" The tone of her voice was almost as if she was testing him.

"Yes," James replied, forcing his voice to remain steady. Umbridge squinted her eyes a little.

"Yes, well. I prefer Fereldan myself, I've spent my life here -" James unwisely snorted at this point. Anders stood on his foot to shut him up, it was too late however.

"Oh? What was that Mr. Potter?" She said in a quiet voice that oozed with venom.

"I never said my family was Potter, Mother Dolores," James said in a calm yet mocking way. He smirked at her, him and Anders shared a glance. He was doing the same thing.

"I – heard -" Umbridge was stuck for words for a moment. "What are you implying to a _Chantry Mother _Mr. Potter?" James stood his ground and did not waver with eye contact, determined to not let his courage falter.

"I think you know exactly what I'm implying, _mother_." James said sarcastically. Umbridge glared at him.

"I suggest you re-think whatever conclusion you think you and your -" Umbridge paused for a moment as he took in Anders. "- close to becoming an abomination friend here have come to." When Umbridge's gaze went back to James, Anders stuck his tongue out at her. This made James giggle, this was rather bad timing on both of their parts. Umbridge gave a glare James had been given frequently by the head of Slytherin usually followed by the words 'detention'. He wondered mindlessly what punishments was given in the Circle. "I wonder," Umbridge began with a sneer. "How the Templars would deal with two _insubordinate young mages_." She growled.

"Do that and I'm telling Irving," James said, sounding braver than he felt.

"Didn't you learn from your father not to tell lies?" Umbridge whispered fiercely which took them both by surprise. "Um, Ser Cullen? Ser Cullen?" She called. A nervous young recruit answered her call.

"Yes, m-mother?" He stuttered.

"Fetch, two Templars to take these two _disgraceful_ young boys. They must be punished at once for speaking out of turn to a Chantry Mother." Ser Cullen nodded and two Templars promptly appeared behind Anders and James. He was taken aback by how violently the Templars treated him as they dragged him down the corridor. He was ashamed at himself for whimpering slightly as his knees hit the stone floor and he felt tears in his eyes as they were being dragged up the stairs. James had never felt anything this awful before, he had never been treated this way. Anders was used to this and didn't care about what the Templars were doing to him – he had had worse. There was an aching sensation in his heart however, seeing James get treated in this way. Anders was beginning to realise that to someone who had never had anyone act this horribly towards him it probably felt so much worse.

They were separated on the third floor and were taken into different room. Anders was surrounded by three Templars – each of which he recognised. The tall ginger one with the pointed face was the one with the snide comments about the "filthy mage", the small, stocky one who could have almost passed for a dwarf was violent and enjoyed torturing mages, the third was a lean blonde haired young man who was new to the Templars and would do whatever he was told. Anders had a huge smile on his face through out their taunts and beatings, determined to annoy and punish them. When he felt his ribs crack, his nose bleed and he felt disorientated from his head smashing against the stone wall... He still had a smile on his face. _Be nice to your enemy's nothing annoys them more _thought Anders. He had been through this so many times he was used to the agony, he was not going to give them the satisfaction.

James was taken into the room noticeably paler and shaking. His eyes had begun to water and he stared up at three tall strangers. The first one had jet black hair that was greased back, he was so pale he appeared translucent and his eyes were squinting at him with a stronger hate than James had ever experience. The second was much more hench and the third was lean but James suspected muscular under his armour.

"Aw, the poor mage looks terrified," the first one mocked edging closer. "The little mage has no one to turn to now." His voice was quite but the venom made every word distinguishable from each other. He walked towards James gracefully slowly and stamped on his ankle. A burning pain seethed through his ankle as he screamed in agony. Anders was being dragged past his door at this point as he heard his friend in pain. He attempted to struggle and get to James but the Templars held onto him harder and dragged him away. James's beating continued and Anders could hear him from the other end of the corridor in the small dark room the Templars had locked him in. He stood up in the cold room and started banging on the door. He had discovered when he was much younger that he could hit it until his small fists bled. They wouldn't let him out. That didn't stop him this time however, he was shouting "James!" as loud as he could. Not because he thought the Templars would let him out but just in case James could actually hear him. It might give him some comfort, let him know Anders was okay or it might give him something.

James was lying hunched on the floor tears falling down his face, the only thing that had stop his cries, screams and please was the blood that was building up in his throat. That's when he heard a familiar voice shouting his name.

"James! James! James!" He heard Anders muffled yell. He was okay, thought James, Anders was okay. He attempted to shout "Anders" back but he coughed on his own blood when he tried. The sound of Anders shouts soothed him a little though. Whatever was going to happen, Anders was near by he thought. When the beatings were so bad James was certain he was going to be left there to die all he could think was _Anders would not let him die_.

Anders was taken a back when the door was about to be unlocked and he jumped back a few paces. This did not happen to him whenever he had been in here before, normally the Templars ignored him. Anders heard the jangling of keys and the dark haired, pale Templar who he had recognised as being particularly sadistic who had been escorting James came into the room. This can't be good, thought Anders.

"Your boyfriend isn't doing well in there at all," the Templar snarled at him. Anders found himself glaring back not saying a word. "That's why people shouldn't associate themselves with _you_ mage, they get..." The Templar paused and annunciated the next word so fiercely that Anders felt a shiver down his spine. "Beaten." The Templar chose this moment to come even closer to Anders, to the point where he could feel the Templar's breath on his face. Anders found himself unable to breath as he looked into those cold eyes. "Perhaps, I'll have your friend transferred back to Orlais -" The Templar grabbed the front of his robes and holding him up from the ground. "- Can't have you to getting too... Close, can we?" The Templar sneered and dropped him to the ground, which made him stumble and fall backwards as the Templar marched out of the room.

Anders sat there giving up and helplessly for a while, even though he knew there was no way the Templar could transfer James back to Orlais as he wasn't _from _Orlais. Anders was still worried about his friend and the Templar had made him realise – James was going to have to leave eventually. He had his own life, family and friends. James had a better life back home than Anders could ever have dreamed of. There was no way James would give up all of that just to be with Anders. He knew this but had never really thought it through in his mind. Soon, Anders thought, I'm going to lose James forever. Anders sat there with this thought in his mind for so long until he was brought back to life by the door slamming in the room next door and a crying, sniffling sound that was becoming painfully familiar too him.

When they threw James into the cell he was agony but at the same time he was glad. The beating was over, any one else might have taken this as a warning to never do such a thing again as they sat there crying in agony. James however was just thinking about how he was going to get those bastard Templars back, determined to not let them get away with this and to take his friend away from it. All James could think about was how Anders had probably gone through this for all sixteen years of his life. Oh god, Anders, he thought as he curled up in the corner of the room for warmth. He longed to be back in his bed with Anders wrapped around him or at home in front of the fire with his mother's homemade supper and hot tea. He was thinking of this when he heard a strange tapping noise, one that at first sounded odd coming from the other side of the wall. It was a tapping that he heard repeating itself with the same pattern, that's when he realised what it was. It was something his father had taught him when he was really little that he could still remember. He tried to make out what it was when it started from the beginning again: dot-dot, dash, dot-dot-dot, dot-dash, dash-dot... He managed to figure out what was being said eventually: "It's Anders, are you okay?" James smiled to himself, he felt comforted so much by this. He slowly tapped back what he was certain was: "I'm okay, don't worry. Are you?" That's when he heard "Yes, I'm sorry for doing this to you." James quickly responded with "Don't be silly." The continued talking like this for some time, it took a while but it gave them something to concentrate on. It made the hours locked in those rooms pass so much quicker.

They didn't see each other when they were released and it was growing dark. When James got back to their dormitory he found Anders sat on his bed, this made James smile. Anders smiled back, but a soft, warm smile that looked glad to see him rather than a mischievous, cheeky grin that he often sported. James stood at the bottom of the ladder and looked up at him. Anders looked down at him sadly and then started playing with the corner of the blanket.

"If you don't want to talk to me any more," Anders began sadly. "I'll understand, I mean you deserve a quite life -"

"Don't be absurd," James interrupted to Anders's delight. James climbed up the ladder and gestured for Anders to move over at this point. They sat cross-legged opposite each other. James was aching all over and winced as he sat down. Anders looked across sympathetically.

"It hurts doesn't it?" He said. James nodded sadly, not even having the heart to act tougher. "I'm sorry, I'm quite good at healing but last time I did it when the Templars were around -" Anders looked at James thoughtfully. "It's 'lights out' in a few minutes, I'll sort it then. I promise." Anders gently placed his hand on James's knee. Anders climbed down and James slowly got into bed, he couldn't believe what the Templars had done to him. James had never been so angry about something in his entire life. How could they treat him like this? Just because he's a wizard? The lights went out and Anders climbed up onto his bed. He got under the blanket behind James and sat up. "Where does it hurt?" He whispered.

"Ribs, knees, shoulder blades, here -" James gestured to the left side of his face. "My ankles and I just..." He paused. "I just ache all over."

"Hm okay, take your shirt off," Anders whispered. James did so slowly, Anders helped him when he realised how much agony James was in. He slowly eased his pyjama top off of his arms. "Lay down," James followed Anders's instructions and placed his hands over his ribs. A pale blue light erupted from him lighting them both up momentarily. James felt a warm sensation through his ribs as he felt them heal. He smiled up at Anders and there gaze latched onto each other as Anders hands lingered a little longer on James's chest than necessary. For a moment he expected Anders to lean into him but instead he started to heal the rest of his body. When he'd finished Anders lay beside him perched on his elbow. "Feeling better?" He whispered. James nodded, he became aware that he was suddenly lying there topless. He felt Anders's eyes trace across his chest and down to his navel, this did not help. Then suddenly, Anders took off the shirt he was wearing and put his arm around James. He snuggled into Anders's chest as he wrapped himself around James. As they fell asleep James felt Anders's chest into his warm back. As Anders felt James fall asleep in his arms anger surged up inside of him, stronger than it had ever been. Never, for as long as I live, he told himself, will I let anyone harm this boy again.


	4. Chapter 4 A Taste of Freedom

___I shameless homage Order of the Phoenix in this chapter. Umbridge gets a little bit more evil. Anders and James have an 'awww' moment. Enjoy!_

_Everything belongs to JK Rowling and Bioware._

Chapter 4 – A Taste Of Freedom

"So, what's the plan?" Anders asked as he followed James up the stairs to the second floor. Anders had to run to keep up.

"We are going to speak to Irving," James said simply and determinedly.

"What will that accomplish?" Anders moaned, James stopped suddenly and turned to him.

"He knows were I'm from."

"And?"

"He'll believe me."

"And if he doesn't?" Anders asked incredulously. James shrugged.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." On this note, James continued walking to Irving's office. Anders sighed and followed silently thinking that this boy was too stubborn for his own good. They walked towards Irving's office and James was about to knock on the door when Anders grabbed the back of his robes. He was about to turn around and ask why when he saw what Anders did. Umbridge arguing with Irving.

"I am the First Enchanter here, not you," Irving said sternly.

"Well I must insist that the First Enchanter -"

"Enough! If you have any complaints about the mages take it up with the Templars if you must. I will continue however, to insist that throwing two 16 year old boys into the cells for a bit of cheek is too far." Irving was remaining calm but his authoritative nature did not waver.

"Are they talking about us?" James whispered, Anders nodded. His expression more serious than James had ever seen it. "I don't under-" Anders gestured for him to be quiet and James immediately did so.

"First Enchanter, I must insist -"

"This meeting is over Dolores," Irving said still with the same calm voice but for some reason a sense of authority and power was established within it. "Enter, boys." Irving barked towards the door as Umbridge left the room. "You," Irving began with an oddly fond voice, "are evolving a very bad habit of listening at doorways." He said, mainly to Anders.

"First Enchanter, we wanted to speak to you about Mother -" James began quickly.

"Dolores? Yes, I thought as much," Irving interrupted. "I thought we agreed that you would tell no one? I was unaware that young Anders here did not count in that."

"I – well -" James began face burning red, he hadn't really thought this part through.

"No matter, no matter, there are people of more importance and danger who could have found out. It is of little importance now, I believe you wished to discuss Mother Dolores?" Irving prompted.

"Y-yes," James began clearing his throat. When he showed signs of being nervous and unable to communicate what he felt, Anders stepped in.

"We think she's from the same place as James, he recognised her," Anders said quickly. James couldn't tell whether Irving was amused or fascinated by this. James flashed a quick, grateful smile at Anders and then looked back at Irving.

"I am quite sure James is correct," Irving said quietly.

"You... Believe me?" James said in astonishment.

"Quite so, I believe -" Irving paused. "You have the same sense of magic radiating from you. Yours however is stronger, it's... Peculiar. Fascinating but peculiar." He mused over this for a few moments. "Of course, proving to the Templars she has magic ability would be tough. I'm sure what you must do will become evident in time, I suspect your appearance here however my boy, may have something to do with her."

"Why am I here though, sir?" James asked politely.

"No idea," Irving answered honestly. "Now, if there would be anything else?"

"No, First Enchanter," Anders said quickly and pulled James by sleeve to follow him out of the room. He stumbled after Anders and now it was James's turn to have to run to keep up. What on

earth was Anders doing?

"Anders, where are we going?"

"This way."

"That's not helpful!" Anders stopped at this moment in an empty bit of corridor, he looked around to make sure there was no one in sight.

"Irving doesn't object to how apprentices are treated, I've never heard him object." James looked confused. "We can't talk here, just – follow me!" James followed him down the hall and stairs into an empty classroom. Anders perched on a desk after magically locking the door. James sat on it cross-legged next to him.

"Irving doesn't object to how apprentices are treated," Anders repeated.

"You said."

"Or if he does, he's not vocal about it."

"Maybe he does, we just only heard it this time because we happen to be stood at his doorway." Anders thought for a moment.

"I don't think so, I do a lot of standing at his doorway. No, this is strange. It makes me curious."

"Curiouser and curiouser," James whispered fondly.

"What?" Anders asked confused.

"It's from – Never mind, so why so curious?"

"Maybe Irving wants to know why Umbridge is here, maybe he wants her away from here, maybe she's doing harm here, maybe he's trying to help the mages," Anders shrugged. "Who knows."

"You mean, Irving has never stood up for the wiz-" James cleared his throat. "Mages before?"

"No," Anders began staring at his feet. "The chantry outnumber him extremely I suppose." There was a sadness that was always present in his eyes that took over his face at that moment. James moved a little closer towards Anders.

"If I find a way to get home," James said in a low voice. "Come with me." He placed his hands on Anders's, making him look up.

"I can't -"

"You can," James insisted.

"You want me to run away from the Circle? The Templars? Everyone, forever?" Anders said with a look in his eyes that said he didn't want to wish for this much.

"Yes, just stay with me."

"With you?"

"Yes." James said definitely.

"I want to, so much."

"Then we'll do it, you and me will escape this place forever." Their hands entwined at this point and Anders lifted his free hand to stroke the side of James's cheek.

"Forever?" Anders said feeling James's warm cheek at his fingers.

"Forever."

Anders's hand moved to the back of James's head as their eyes locked. Anders's honey coloured eyes and James's hazel ones. Anders moved in closer to him and James felt his warm, soft lips against his. James found himself in Anders's arms as he pulled James towards him. The kiss became stronger, hard, more passionate. Nothing else in the room mattered other than them, their was nothing else in the entire Circle, no other world. There was but the two of them and nothing else would ever be of any importance. James was certain his heart had stopped for a moment and his breath had escaped him. When it ended they remained just as close, their eyes still focused onto each other. Anders smiled slightly, a handsome, slight grin. James returned it. Anders's arms were still locked around his waist. They heard someone trying to open the door. They sprung apart. Anders discreetly opened it magically so that whoever was on the other side would just blame bad workmanship.

"W-what are you two d-doing in here?" The stuttering Templar from James's entrance into the tower stood before them.

"Talking, that a crime now?" Anders responded cheekily.

"I-in s-secret? Most s-suspic-c-ious one might s-say," James bit his lip to stop himself giggling at the Templar's attempt to form a sentence.

"You can't _punish _us for talking to each other!" Anders said incredulously.

"N-no? M-mother D-dolores has requested a c-closer -"

"Eye be kept on us?" Anders finished and then shrugged. "I thought it might be quicker." Anders then stood and up and beckoned for James to follow. "Since however there is no reason for you to reprimand us whatsoever, I think we'll be leaving." And so they did.

"I d-d-don't think he a-a-apreciated that," James mocked to a laughing Anders.

"M-m-maybe he'll t-t-t-tell the Knight-C-c-commander!" Anders joked. They laughed along down the corridor, Anders subtly took James's hand, their fingers entwined with each other as they walked side by side towards the library.

"So, here's the plan," Anders said conspiratorially as they sat 'studying' in the corner. "We keep an eye on Umbridge, we follow her, see where she goes. She has to use magic or do something suspicious or of use eventually!"

"True," James began. "Of course, their will be a lot of standing around in the Chantry though."

"Well, yes -"

"And we don't have any evidence that she will actually do anything."

"But -"

"And we'd probably end up standing around for hours."

"Well, I guess -"

"And she'd probably notice and we'd get sent to the cells again."

"I know but -"

"If we don't go to the cells for skipping classes."

"Aha! But -" Anders said more definitely wagging his finger. "If we wait until we've finished classes and the priest's duties are over we'll get straight to the interesting stuff." James shrugged.

"Worth a shot I suppose." Anders's face turned into a grin at James's agreement. Then Anders's eyes suddenly turned serious and his gaze at the table.

"I won't let them throw you in the cells again I promise, I'll take the blame if we get caught." James held his hand tighter.

"No. I won't let you."

"You have to!" Anders's voice was filled with frustration.

"No, I refuse. If you have to go through that agony, I at least want to be close to you."

"You shouldn't have to though," Anders responded shaking his head. "I don't want you to."

"I don't want it to happen to you either."

"That's different."

"No it isn't." They both stared at each other stubbornly for a moment. James sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Don't let yourself take the blame for me, you know it'll just be worse for you."

"I don't care!"

"Stop being such a martyr!" Anders glared at James for this comment and he instantly knew he'd said the wrong thing. "I'm sorry – I didn't mean -"

"I'm not, I just care," Anders growled in response.

"And I don't care about you?"

"I never said that!" James gave a sharp intake of breath.

"This isn't getting us anywhere."

"It would if you just accepted I'm right."

"Anders, we're both stubborn _and _argumentative. It's a bad combination. We should stop." Anders laughed at this comment. Finally, thought James, that's calmed the mood a little.

"Point, although I am right -" James jokingly hit him with a book for this comment, refusing to argue any further. That's when a tall, red-haired elven boy with a face that resembled a fox according to James walked over to them. Everything about him screamed vanity, even his walk was more of a strut.

"Well," he began in a pompous manner as soon as he approached our table. "Looks like someone has finally found a friend, that took you long enough."

"Shove off, Dracius," Anders scowled at him. Dracius? Okay, this was getting a little two weird now, thought James.

"Not a way to talk to your betters, is it? I just wanted to introduce myself to your _boyfriend _and warn him to stay well clear," Dracius snarled.

"He's not my boyfriend," Anders glared, James felt a little hurt at this remark but didn't say a word.

"Well obviously, how could _you _ever find someone?" This boy emphasises too much, James thought.

"Leave him alone," he snapped at Dracius, taking the three of them by surprise.

"Do you know who I am?" Scoffed Dracius. "Are you really going to talk to me like that? Maybe I should teach you some manners, freak."

"You're welcome to try," hissed James standing up. They had attracted quite a crowd now. He could hear whisperings about how that new kid was fighting Dracius - with a few mutterings of "no chance". Dracius was about to cast a spell but James knew his sort of magic could get in their first, concealing his wand in the sleeve of his robes he said "Stupefy" in his mind as loudly and clearly as he could. He took Dracius, and everyone in the room by surprise. James looked smugly in the direction of Anders who grinned back, although he looked much more weary than James did. That's when Dracius did something to shock everyone, he pulled a knife out of his pocket and slashed his hand open. There was a stony, fearful silence in the room as everyone stared at him. This is what everyone talks about, James thought, blood magic.

James found himself hunching to the floor in agony. According to everyone in the vicinity he looked like he was having a seizure as his blood bubbled, boiled and tortured him. James found himself howling and screaming.

"STOP!" James screamed. "I CAN'T TAKE IT ANY MORE! STOP!" All he could hear is Dracius laughing, then Anders shouting. The sudden sense of heat and Dracius's swearing told James that Anders had begun to fight him. _Help me Anders_, James thought, _help me_. That's when the authoritative voices of a group of Templars filled the room. Even James, in all of his agony, managed to work out what was happening. The Templars were dragging a manically laughing Dracius away, one of them stayed to neutralise all of the magic in the area. The pain inside James subsided but the memory still lingered, Anders rushed over to James uncaring of who was watching. Anders held him with his face so close James could feel his breath.

"Are you okay?" Anders whispered, James nodded weakly.

"What will they do to him?"

"Maleifcarum are given the punishment of death," Anders replied softly.

"If I'd have – I shouldn't have duelled him – he's gonna die because of me," James's voice had become filled with anxiety and unintelligible to anyone but Anders.

"Shush love," Anders began stroking the side of his face. "He's a blood mage, it's his own doing and his own stupidity. It was going to happen. Don't blame yourself." James suddenly realised what Anders was doing and where they were.

"Anders," he began. "We are surrounded by people."

"I know," Anders responded, he knew where this was going.

"Didn't you say -"

"I don't care."

The library was off limits and lessons cancelled for the rest of the day, this resulted in Anders and James wandering aimlessly around the Circle. For the first time since his arrival here it had started to bother him that they weren't allowed out. Not that he didn't try to get a little peak at Fereldan.

"That's a big door," James said conversationally to one of the bored Templars guarding the entrance.

"Yes it is, are you just here to point out the obvious or do you have a purpose?"

"Could you perhaps, open the big door?"

"No, I thought you'd be used to this concept by now."

"And there is no other way out of the tower?"

"No."

"Not even a window?"

"Well yes, but they are all pretty high up. I trust I don't have to warn you of the danger from jumping out of them." Anders spent the majority of this conversation stifling laughter to the point of where it looked as if it might have been a little painful to do so. James was beginning to realise that there was little to do in the tower and winding up Templars was one of the most fun things that was an option.

"What's behind the door?"

"Fereldan," replied the Templar in a bored voice.

"What does it look like?"

"Farmlands, sheep, the occasionally village. Not very interesting."

"Huh, seems a waste for you to guard that door all day."

"It is, I've heard it takes four grown men to open this door."

"So why -"

"Stop with the inane questioning please, I have duties to attend to," said the Templar clearly starting to get irritated. Anders and James followed the orders and continued wandering aimlessly around the tower. They stopped when they got to just outside where the members of the Chantry slept, more specifically, where the Chantry mothers slept.

"It's empty," Anders said, a voice filled with implications.

"That it is," James replied. "It's almost... Inviting."

"Wouldn't want to go in though."

"Of course not, that's trespassing."

"We'd get into loads of trouble."

"Yes, we would. The Templars will go mental."

"After you?"

"Very kind of you."

Anders kept a watch on the door as James look around for anything incriminating. All he had discovered so far was that this woman had some form of cat fetish and adored things of the ugly, lacey variety. The sort of pink and frilly nature that would his younger sister Lily shudder. James discovered a strange black quill on her desk, spun it around his fingers for a moment and then placed it back on the table. He opened a drawer and noticed something more than a little bit incriminating. He picked the book up and flicked through it with widened eyes.

"James! Someone's coming!" Hissed Anders. James slipped the book into his robes pocket and hurriedly turned around to see Umbridge stood at the doorway.

"What," she began in her high pitched, childish voice that appeared to have extreme tones of severity at present. "Are you two boys doing in my quarters?"

"We-we had a message for you," James started quickly. "Didn't we Anders?" Anders caught on quickly.

"Yes, the Knight-Commander desires your presence," Anders lied. Umbridge was suspicious.

"And why would he send you two rather than a Templar or someone trustworthy?" She asked suspiciously.

"He was really busy, we were the closest to hand." Umbridge narrowed her eyes.

"Hm, I see. If I find you've been in my quarters for some other reason you may find yourselves in a rather... Grave situation. Now, please leave." She swiftly moving out of the way of the doorway. They followed orders and left the room, not saying a word until they were far down the corridor.

"Find anything?" Anders asked, James nodded. "Well?"

"Not here, we need somewhere... Secluded."

"I've got just the place," Anders whispered in response. He took James's hand and spun them around, going in the direction they'd just come from.

"Where are we going?" James asked slightly worried. His first reaction was: dangerous, restricted, Templars will be angry.

"You'll see," Anders responded with a slight smile. They went as high in the tower they could and the way they sneaked passed the Templars on the top floor told James that his initial response was indeed correct. "Years ago," Anders said conversationally as they clamoured their way through the desolate room. "Their was a storm, that they suspect had some magic involvement in it's creation. It destroyed apart of the roof of the tower. So from the attic you can see..." He waited for James to crawl under a broken beam that was blocking the way and gestured towards the part of the wall that had come away. "This." James stood their dumbstruck for a few moments. Fereldan, from this height looked remarkable.

It was nothing special, with it's wastelands, farmlands, forests and straggly looking hills on the horizon and the occasional suggestion of a village. It was what it represented: this whole world just out of reach, freedom. James stood their with the wind blowing through his hair as he took it all in. He turned around to see Anders had sat cross-legged on the floor and was staring at him with fascination. James walked over and sat down next to him gazing over Fereldan. Anders put his arm around him and they just stared there with each other for a while.

"So," Anders started, breaking the silence. "What did you find?" James sat up properly, turned towards Anders and sat cross-legged whilst he pulled the book out of his pocket.

"That -" Anders began with a face of shock. "Is a book on necromancy."

"Not only necromancy," responded James gravely. "It has a lot more, and a lot of darker magic in it. I just skimmed through it but some of the curses -" James shuddered. "We have to show Irving."

"Won't she just say she confiscated it?" James shook his head.

"She can't, it has magic, curses, objects and people which relate directly to my world. Irving must realise this."

"He won't do anything," Anders replied sadly.

"I think this is serious enough that he might."

"Perhaps," Anders replied sceptically. "It would require Irving to stand up to the Chantry though."

"You don't think he'd do that?" Anders shook his head and looked at the book curiously.

"Unforgivable Curses?" He asked. James nodded.

"They are three spells that are forbidden by the Ministry by law and the use of any one of them can cause you to be taken straight to Askaban," He caught sight of the expression Anders was bearing.

"A prison for wizards guarded by dementors – "

"Dementors? Wasn't that thing we saw in the basement -"

"Yes. Anyway, there are three of them. The imperious curse, were the caster can cause the victim to do their bidding. The cruciatous curse, that tortures the victim it's -" James winced for a moment at the memory of what had happened earlier. " - I imagine what happened to me earlier would be what it's like to be under it." He hesitated. "The final one is Avada Kedavra, the killing curse. Only one person has ever been known to survive it."

"Your father," Anders finished, his voice slightly in awe.

"Yes," James answered proudly face breaking into a smile. "My father." _My father_, he thought to himself, my family. James thought about them properly for a few moments and how much he truly missed them. Anders put his hand on his shoulder comfortingly.

"You'll see him again, you'll see all of your family again," Anders promised, that's when he said something James didn't expect. "Tell me about them."

"You sure you want to here me go on about my family?"

"I'd love to."

James sat there talking to Anders about his family for he didn't know how long. James talked at length about his brave father the auror who had defeated the greatest dark wizard of all time, the man who was adored through out the Wizarding World by Lord Voldermort's enemies. He talked about how his father had met his mother at Hogwarts and how she had been his father's best friend Ron's younger sister, as well as her part in the Wizarding War. He talked about his Uncle Ron and Auntie Hermione. He started talking about more mundane things: his younger sister Lily and how many pranks him and his brother Albus had played on her. What him and his brother had gotten up to so far that summer, how he'd teased his brother. How his cousin Victorie and her fiance Teddy had been planning their wedding, which his mother had been driving him crazy about. Anders enjoyed listening to every part of this, occasionally asked questions and laughed in the appropriate places. James noticed however, that as happy as Anders was right now James had precisely what Anders longed for.

"You'll meet them," James said finally.

"Will I?" Anders asked.

"Yes, you'll come with me. Back to my world, where we can be happy. I promise." James grabbed

Anders's hand at this point making Anders face break into a smile. James recognised the look Anders was holding, it was one that was forcing himself not to get his hopes up. James was going to make Anders happy however. He would make sure of it.

As the sun was setting they made their way back down the tower. They were stopped when they reached the third floor by the stuttering Templar.

"M-mother D-dolores w-wishes to s-see you both in the F-first E-enchanter's S-study p-promptly," He said, attempting to sound authoritative.

"D-does she?" Mocked Anders in response, making James laugh.

"And I am to escort you!" The Templar said crossly walking them both to the First Enchanter's office in silence. Anders and James kept shooting looks at each other which spoke their thoughts exactly. They had been caught, probably without a chance to prove anything Irving. Umbridge was not going to keep it in her possession for much longer. Anders allowed the Templar to enter the study first and hung back. James felt Anders's hand by his side for a moment, James gave the boy a curious look but he just quickly shook his head as if to say "Not just yet." James shrugged and walked into the study to see a furious Umbridge and a curious Irving.

"These boys," Umbridge began immediately, dominating the conversation. "Have trespassed and stolen a personal item from my quarters."

"And your proof?" James replied, sounding braver than he felt.

"I saw you in my quarters."

"To give you a message, we didn't steal anything," Anders interrupted. Irving sighed.

"Mother Dolores, do you have any evidence that these boys have stolen something?"

"They were trespassing and an item has gone missing," she said simply. "They are lucky I'm taking it to the First Enchanter before I go to the Knight-Commander. I will happily remain quiet if my

item is returned to me and we shall say no more about it," she finished sharply.

"We didn't steal anything!" Anders and James said in unison both just as stubbornly. They flashed each other a quick look but didn't dare do so for noticeably long.

"Obviously," Umbridge said with a snarl, "They are lying."

"If I may be so bold Mother, it's not that obvious to me," Irving replied quietly. Anders and James could not stop but have a slight smile at this point.

"Well, I guess I shall have to bring this to the Knight-Commander. Clearly, _you _have no control over these boys," she glared as she sloped out of the study.

"What did you take?" Irving asked.

"We didn't -"

"Anders, please. I did not become First Enchanter by walking around with my eyes shut." He turned to James. "What did you take?"

"A book on dark magic," he answered instantly.

"And you are sure she didn't confiscate it?"

"Magic from my world." Irving's eyes widened slightly.

"Where is this book?" James checked his pockets and discovered it had been taken. He turned to Anders who suddenly had it in his hands, handing it to Irving.

"I shall keep this in my possession for the time being," He caught their expressions. "Do not fret, I shall take care of it. It will reach no eyes of the Templars, or their..." He paused. "Associates. I shall research this matter, but I must ask for you both to not take such extreme risks in regards to the Templars, a member of the Chantry and particularly Mother Dolores again. Ah, yes, that includes you Anders." He added in an amused tone after catching sight of Anders's disgruntled expression. At this point Umbridge returned with two Templars. All of them looked painfully smug.

"You may take the blonde one," Umbridge menacingly. "I would like a word with this one, in private." James flashed Anders a panicked look.

"Why can't he come with me?" Anders insisted, gaining a glare from the Templars. No Anders, thought James painfully, don't piss them off more.

"That is not of your concern," A Templar responded sharply as Anders was taken from the room. James turned to the First Enchanter whose entire demeanour screamed "there is nothing I can do".

"Come along, boy," Umbridge called and he followed her out of the study.

He walked just behind her down the hallway finding himself almost shaking with fear. A cold sweat covered him as he begun to imagine all of the awful punishments she had in store for him. All those curses and hexes she must have learned from that book, all the dark magic she must possess. They reached the Chantry and James was directed into a room to the side he hadn't noticed before. He was told to sit at the desk and wait. He sat their in the blank room with nothing of interest except for an alter, a couple of desks and a much grander desk at the end. It was empty compared to other rooms in the tower. Nothing in the entire space could distract James at all, it was so out of place in the Circle. Everything else in the building, apart from the cells, was grand and has some asset that would somehow be associated to magic. This room was just empty of anything at all. "So," Umbridge said, marking her entrance to the room and taking James by surprise. "You will get off much easier than your friend Anders," she had a sadistic smile on her face as she placed a long, thin black quill (one that James was sure he'd seen before) and some pieces of parchment on the desk before him. She made her way to the desk and sat down behind it. She was grinning at him like a cat stalks it's pray. "I wish for you to write 'I must not steal' until the end of this punishment."

"How many times?" James said much more relaxed, he was getting lines? He could not believe his luck.

"Oh, until the message sinks in," Umbridge responded with a glint in her eyes one might have if telling a joke. James shrugged and begun to write "I must not tell lies" on the piece of parchment. He winced and gasped when he'd done this. He stared at the back of his hand in horror as the words "I must not tell lies" appeared cut into his hand and then faded away as quickly as they'd come. Leaving nothing in their black other than a red sore path where they had been. He looked up at her in fear and she was still smiling at him. He gulped and then continued to write, his hand slowly becoming more sore with every line. The two of them sat in the room for hours, it almost felt like she was daring him to say something. He didn't complain or agonise, he would not give her the satisfaction. He just continued to write.

The room felt as if it existed in a time lapse, nothing felt real. Time didn't feel as if it was actually moving at all, there were no windows to give the impression of light darkening. No one came in or out of the room in all that time. It was just the two of them in the same room with the same silence between them. After what seemed like forever Umbridge stood up.

"Well," she began happily. "Let's see if you have gotten the message yet." She picked up his hand and held onto it tighter when he tried to pull away. He gasped when she stroked it. "Yes, it hurt on your father to." She responded spitefully. He pulled away and stood there almost frozen in place. "You may go now."

He left the room and ran to the apprentice's dormitory. He wasn't sure why he was running over than because he wanted to get away from there as quickly as physically possible. He stopped by the door of the dormitory and stood, bent over and gasping for breath. He couldn't remember if he had ever ran the fast or that continuously. He slowly made his way inside and found two things: the lights had already been turned out that Anders's bed was empty. He was sat on James's bed: eyes filled with concern, face fresh with bruises. James climbed onto his bed without a word and stroked the side of Anders's sore, beaten face. He winced and forced a smile when James did this.

"What happened?" Whispered Anders.

"It wasn't as bad as what you went through."

"Tell me," growled Anders in response, uncharacteristically fierce.

"I had to write lines," James said soberly holding up his hand were "I must not steal" was scared. The shocked look in Anders's eyes resulted in James telling him the whole story. Anders tried to heal it, and failed.

"I've never seen this sort of magic before, I can't do anything," Anders whined with a hurt look in his eyes. "Does it hurt?"

"A little," James said reluctantly. Anders stroked the back of his hand and James winced.

"That's more than just a little," Anders accused. James shrugged.

"It's not as bad as what you went through."

"I don't care, I'm used to it."

"I do."


	5. Chapter 5 The First Escape

_I steal some lines from DA2 for Anders, I pay homage to a couple of films, books and TV shows._

_Everything belongs to JK Rowling and Bioware._

Chapter 5 – The First Escape

James was stood inside the Chantry watching Mother Dolores for what seemed like hours. She spent most of her time talking about the Maker and punishing initiates who had done wrong in some way. He wasn't getting anywhere. Sometime in the afternoon he gave up and went to go find Anders. James was bored and, most importantly, hungry. He wandered over to that familiar corner in the library where Anders was sat alone, he smiled as soon as he saw James who walked straight over to Anders and sat in the empty seat next to him.

"Learn anything?" Anders asked conversationally.

"Nope," James replied miserably.

"Here this will cheer you up," Anders passed James a small piece of sponge cake.

"Where did you get this from?" James said excitedly, he couldn't remember the last time he'd had any form of food that wasn't a meal sat by the Templars. It felt like he had been in the Circle for much longer than he actually had.

"I stole it from the kitchens," Anders took another bite of cake, swallowed it and then continued. "I've been thinking, we should do some research into different worlds. I mean, I can't find anything definite but I found these books earlier." Anders pulled forwards some books that were on the end of the desk and passed them to James. He looked at them each in turn.

"Prof. F. Mulder's Observations of the Abnormal, Dark Matter – A Path Between Universes?" James began to list tiredly, he paused when he got to the third one. "The Philosophy of Time Travel?" He questioned. Anders shrugged.

"Well I don't know, it could be – it mentioned wormholes and different dimensions!" He insisted. James flicked through the book.

"Why is there a creepy, post-apocolyptic rab -" James shook his head. "Never mind, how is this going to help us?"

"I don't know but -"

"Wait!" James interrupted excitedly when flicking through "Dark Matter – A Path Between Universes?".

"What is it?" Anders replied enthusiastically.

"That's it! That's what I saw!" James had the page open at an intricate drawing of what appeared to be a mirror. It was similar to the mirror he saw in the Department of Mysteries but with a much more intricate framing, it was significantly more grand.

"It looks _Elven_..." Anders said curiously. James tilted his head at him, Anders noted the look of confusion. "Belonging to elves. No one knows much about their history, most of it is lost. Could be related I guess," he finished shrugging.

"Apparently it originates from the days of Orla – Arlaf -"

"Arlathan?" Anders suggested helpfully. "It's the Elves original homeland."

"Well, yeah. It says _the Ancient Tevinters tried to unlock it's secrets but like many of their attempts at unravelling the mysteries of Elven magic – it failed. The mirror is said to manipulate dark matter to create a gateway within universes, it's suggested in some dimensions they may have possibly learned to master this ability. They may use a mirror too or perhaps an instrument to cut through Dark Matter_ – that's it!" James finished, then a thought came to him. "But how can I get back? If the secrets died with the elves?" Anders shrugged.

"I haven't a clue." That was when a thought struck him. Their was a statue in the basement, dating back to the days of Arlathan. It might know, they could ask it. He was about to suggest this to James but he thought better of it – a selfish part of him cared more about James staying. "There must be something, people from your world must travel between universes."

"Hmm, true," James mused. "I reckon we should have a look around the basement again." Anders expression suddenly turned to horrified.

"Basement? Again? Big scary cloaked thing that sucks out people's souls? Remember?" Anders said flailing.

"There might not be one this time! And besides, that just proves that the gateway _must _be down there somewhere."

"_Or_ they might appear again and suck out our souls!"

"I can cast a patronus!"

"What if we are in separate rooms or something? I don't have the same kind of magic as you!" Anders was grasping at straws now. He didn't like the idea of James actually _finding _a way back.

"Please Anders," James said with that hurt look in his eyes, the one that reminded Anders of a lost puppy. The one that just made him want to cuddle him, kiss his forehead and say 'Of course James, whatever you like'. Anders faked a cross expression and folded his arms.

"Stop that, it's not fair!"

"I'm not doing anything," James said puzzled.

"You're being cute!" Anders accused. James laughed and found himself getting rather close to Anders, pressing himself against him even. James was leaning on his shoulder breathing softly into his ear.

"Please Anders," James whispered softly. Anders felt himself melting with every syllable.

"You are evil," Anders whined helplessly not wanting to push him away.

"You're not complaining," James said with a smile on his lips.

"Fine! I'll do it!" Anders said giving in, he turned so he was eye to eye with James who closed his eyes and started to lean in. Anders placed his hand on James's chest. "Not here," Anders whispered glancing around the library. James nodded and leaned back out to show that he understood completely.

"So, basement, old boy?" James asked with a grin. Anders sighed.

"Not now, let's leave it a bit," he replied scowling towards the entrance. He glanced towards James's puzzled expression. "We have a shadow," Anders whispered. James followed his gaze and saw Lucia Vane stood at the doorway. She couldn't have possibly heard what we were saying though, could she? Thought James. The knowing look in her eyes made both James and Anders suspect that she knew a lot more than she should.

"This might be bad," gulped James.

"I think we should take this slow personally," Anders said quietly. "Less suspicious than if we go running off somewhere now." James looked at Anders and realised he was staring directly at her.

"So, is your plan to stare her into submission?"

"It could totally work!" Murmured Anders still not breaking his gaze, or blinking. Honestly, thought James, it was quite frightening. He turned around to stare but Anders hit his knee. "Honestly boy, you are not subtle! We can't _both _stare she'd notice. This way I could just be looking at you."

"I can be subtle!" Insisted James stropily.

"No you can't," James fell back into his chair and sulked. Anders broke his stare because he couldn't help but laugh. When he looked back up, Lucia Vane was gone.

"Oh James, look what you've done now," Anders huffed.

"I didn't do anything?" James replied puzzled.

"You distracted me!"

"I didn't do anything!" James insisted, Anders merely laughed and ruffled James's unruly hair. "And I am not a puppy," he added sticking his tongue out at Anders.

"So, plan?" Anders asked. James thought for a moment.

"Middle of the night, my cloak?" James suggested, Anders nodded.

"That sounds like it could work," Anders paused and looked down at the table. "Did you mean what you said? If we do find a way to get you home could, I – I mean," James's hand reached out and touched Anders's.

"Come with me," their eyes met again and Anders smiled.

"Do you mean it? Really mean it?" Anders said, trying to not let himself be too hopeful.

"I wouldn't say it otherwise," James responded with a wry smile.

"You promise?" Anders said, he cursed himself mentally when he thought about how childish that sounded.

"Promise," James whispered.

They spent the rest of their day planning their night in hushed tones and giving quick glances around the library to see if their "shadow" had continue to watch them. As they were walking back to the dormitory that night was when James decided to bring the topic up.

"Do you think she's spying on us for Umbridge?" James asked.

"I'm not sure," Anders said thoughtfully. "She's the sort of person who would if an authoritative figure asked her to and she's not the brightest so she wouldn't even question why but -" He paused for a moment. "There is a chance she's watching us for another reason I guess."

"Like what?" James was completely bewildered by this comment.

"Well..." Anders seemed to become very interested in his shoes for this part of the conversation.

"Well -?" James ushered after a couple of moments of silence.

"I think most people don't understand why you want to spend time with me," Anders said quietly. "Most people keep their distance."

"I'm not most people," James said slyly. Anders gave a laugh which somehow sounded a little sad.

"I know," Anders started, forcing a smile. "I think you're well – interesting?"

"How am I interesting?" James said confused. Sure, back home James was interesting. He was the famous Harry Potter's son. Here however, he was just... James.

"Well, look at you!" Anders said incredulously. James still wasn't picking up on the hint. "You're new, you're interesting, you just ooze with cool and you're really – really -" Anders for some strange reason started to look really embarrassed at this point.

"Really what?" James said still confused, he had no idea what Anders was trying to get at.

"Well you have that rugged, dishevelled, handsome look," Anders murmured. His face and ears were growing red at this point and wouldn't even meet James's eyes.

"You think I'm handsome?" James asked with a soft smile staring directly at Anders. No one had ever called James 'handsome' before. Prepubescent girls who giggled when he walked past at Hogwarts had said "lush", "fit" or "hot" but handsome? This was a new one. Anders stammered over his words embarrassedly whilst trying to think of a response. James could not stop himself from laughing. "You are very cute when your embarrassed and when you are awkward," James said with a soft smile tilting his head. They had finally got to the dormitory and unfortunately there were two of Lucia Vane's giggling friends at the doorway. Anders and James shared a mutual look of irritation and slight terror. The one on the left was elven with a long blonde plait falling down her back, the red-haired one on the right could have been the blood mage who looked like a fox's human, younger sister.

"We know a secret about you," The red-haired one said smugly. James was taken aback and confused.

"No you don't," he replied wearily. He highly doubted these two knew the truth about where he was really from.

"Yes we do," piped up the elven girl and they both giggled. "It's about _you two_..."

"Oh, shove off," Anders said showing more annoyance than necessary as he dragged James by the sleeve of his robes into the dormitory and past them as they started giggling uncontrollably. "We need to be more careful," Anders said in annoyed tone. "Although, it is probably too late now," he added.

"What's wrong?" James asked a little hurt.

"Everyone suspects about us, or figured it out."

"Well, to be fair," James began. "You _did _embrace me in front of every apprentice and a couple of Templars."

"That was a mistake, I should have controlled myself better," Anders said bitterly.

"Why?" James questioned, the feeling of it hurting a little wouldn't go away.

"Because the Templars can use it against us! To hurt me or you."

"They already have done," James whispered as he remembered what happened the night they were in the cells.

"What did they do?" Anders asked fiercely, they were sat on Anders's bed now – cross-legged and opposite each other.

"They -" James paused and refused to meet Anders's gaze. What happened in the cells was hazy at best but there were some parts which stood out in his memory. The Templar's boots in his ribs whist he heard one of them sneering:

"Your boyfriend is getting it so much worse in there," the first said.

"He's used to it though, that will probably just make them beat him harder," laughed another.

"Good point, there was that time the filthy mage almost bled to death," the first one responded.

"Or when we starved him for a few days," sneered an unknown Templar.

"You'll never see your boy again if we have our way, mage," growled the first Templar. These words rang in his head, James became aware that Anders was staring at him avidly awaiting his response.

"-Nothing," James said hurriedly, Anders looked at him in disbelief.

"Tell me," Anders growled in response.

"Will you tell me?" James asked fairly. Anders opened his mouth to speak but found himself unable to. James of course, had a point. Anders had no intention of telling James what the Templar's had done or said to him, it didn't seem fair. "Precisely," James finished smugly.

"Would you tell me if I told you?" Anders asked slyly.  
"No -" Then James hesitated. Now Anders had brought it up, James was really curious. "Perhaps," he corrected himself. "But you first."

"And then you'll tell me?"

"Yes," James said hesitantly. Anders looked at him doubtfully.

"Okay, well -" Anders thought of everything that the Templar who had come into his cell had said.

"_Your boyfriend isn't doing well in there at all," _The Templars snarling voice ran through his mind. _ "That's why people shouldn't associate themselves with you mage, they get...Beaten. Perhaps, I'll have your friend transferred back to Orlais -can't have you to getting too... Close, can we?" _

"They – whilst it was happening they were just talking about how..." Anders paused. He couldn't make eye contact with James for the rest of what he had to say. "How badly you were taking what they were doing to you, then one of them came into my cell and -" Anders looked up to seem James staring at him attentively, his gaze not wavering even slightly. "He was telling me how you were getting worse than most apprentices just for associating themselves with me – I don't believe that," Anders finished quickly. "You here so often about apprentices getting beaten and raped by Templars, stories I've heard -" Anders shuddered. "I think I've had it better than most. He was talking about – they've started to do what I was scared of. You don't understand -" Anders voice was beginning to fill with emotion now, there was something in his words that James had never heard before. "- In the Circle, love is just a game. It gives the Templars too much power if they have something they can use against you. When I'm with you -" Anders stopped and forced himself to meet James's gaze. "- It's different. I feel like I can forget this whole world that we're in, that we aren't just apprentices and the Templars don't exist. It's just me and you." James smiled sadly at this and attempted to hide the warmth that filling his mind at these words. He knew how Anders felt but just hearing him say this made him feel so much more – James didn't even know. Loved? Cared for? Things James already was but things that didn't exist in this world manifested inside Anders. James knew immediately that this meant so much more to Anders than himself. This mage had spent his entire life in the circle, he couldn't remember anything about his family. He didn't have as much as a friend here. James had a whole world he could go back to and what Anders craved more than anything – a home. James stroked Anders hand and held it before speaking again.

"It will be just me and you, I promise."

"Right, because you're getting us out of here," Anders responded sardonically. James heard the disbelief in his voice that was always their but now it was stronger than ever. This just made James even more determined.

"Yes, yes I will," James said, forcing bravery and conviction in his voice. Two emotions that he did not actually feel but was determined to instil to Anders.

"You sound like you actually believe that," Anders whispered, with something new in his tone. Was that admiration? Thought James with disbelief. "I'm not sure if you're brave or deluded," Anders added going back to his typical jokey manner.

"I do, that is -" James paused. "If you want to come with me?" He asked shyly, he felt he already knew the answer but then he didn't want his hopes raised too far.

"Of course – it's not that I don't -" Anders gave a sharp intake of breath. "Yes. Yes I do." James beamed then gave a quick glance at the doors where Templars were appearing.

"Lights out soon," James pointed out.

"Investigation time?" Anders joked.

"Obviously," responded James with a grin.

"So, the Chantry," James began conversationally as they walked down the hallway, steadily under the previously-owned cloak. "I don't get -"

"It's a man-made religion," Anders started quietly. "They were created and built by men, Andraste is a human. They claim that the Maker is the reason for their reactions but in reality it's not. They just -" Anders hesitated. "Use the Maker as an excuse to say what they want. Humans made the Chantry, the Maker made mages, that's how I look at it." James thought for a moment.

"I see, what do they believe in?" James asked.

"That the Maker created the world, I guess, Andraste is a prophet," Anders said simply.

"Hm, sounds familiar," James hesitated. "Do you believe in the Maker?" Anders thought for a moment.

"I guess I do, just not the way the Chantry does."

"I see."

"What do you believe?" Anders asked curiously.

"I -" James paused for a moment. "I don't have a religion," he shrugged.

"Seriously?" Anders asked with a slight tone of shock.

"Nope, I've seen and read too much which counteracts the concept," James stopped when a Templar walked passed then continued when the man was out of ear-shot. "I think religion is more a method of control rather than anything else and I believe -" James hesitated, phasing his words carefully so as not to offend Anders. "-This world is a rather good example of how it can I think. Templars abuse the concept to oppress mages and anyone who tries to sympathise with them, from what I gather. I think there can be an explanation that does not involve divine intervention for everything."

"There's no proof to back up what you're saying though," Anders replied cautiously.

"Nor is their any proof to back up what religion says, I find blind faith difficult. I need proof, evidence," James finished simply.

"I've never heard anyone express that before," Anders shrugged.

"I guess I have more freedom where I come from, I heartily believe the world is too beautiful and it's own creation in it's own right. The universe is a remarkable, amazing, unfathomable and complex thing. There is however, an answer for everything – one that follows logic and reason. Just because we don't _know _it, doesn't mean it's the result of a deity. The need to just put it down to 'a deity did it' bothers me, it's dampening the beauty that surrounds us," James preached as he peered around the corner of the doorway towards the room containing the basement. "Well, look who we have here," he said suddenly.

"Umbridge!" Anders gasped when he followed James's gazed.

"This just got interesting."

"What is she doing here?" Anders asked dubiously. "She can't be doing the same thing we are?"

"I think she must -" James bit his lip for a moment in concentration. "We should try and follow her I think. It might be beneficial."

"Yes, it might," Anders said suspiciously as his eyes focused on the spot were Umbridge had just stood. This was convenient, a little too much so. "Why would she – I don't understand -"

"Maybe she's trying to get out of here too?"

"I guess," Anders hesitated. "Isn't a little odd that she has chosen the same night as us to do so?" James thought about this for a moment.

"Coincidence?"

"More like a set-up," Anders said wearily. James shrugged.

"I don't know, doesn't seem like the sort of subtlety Umbridge is -" James hesitated. "This doesn't seem right no, but I'm not so sure it's as clear cut as a set-up. I think we should follow her." Anders shrugged.

"I don't have a better idea," Anders said in a defeated tone and on that note they slowly followed her steps into the basement.

They stood back on the staircase as they watched her cast some magic on the door in front of them. It wasn't the one they took into the room where James first appeared. It was a grand, tall door covered in strange carvings and runes.

"Should we follow her?" James asked, attempting to hide the small elements of fear that was present in his voice.

"I'm not sure," Anders answered wearily. He genuinely wasn't: apart of him thought it was a trap but the other half thought that it was the best idea they had. "Maybe we should go back to the room you appeared in," he decided. "It was were the dementor first appeared, if we don't find anything we can always go the way Umbridge went and see if that helps," he added when James threw him a questioning look.

"I think we should follow Umbridge and look in the room afterwards," James said indignantly.

"What if we get caught?"

"Then we get caught?" Anders looked at him speechlessly. "Then we get caught! We get beaten, locked in cells, so what? They can't kill us, they've already done their worst. Besides, she isn't going to see us – we have an _invisibility cloak_, remember?" Anders shrugged.

"Fine, have it your way," Anders finished attempting to hide his irritation in his tone. He wasn't sure why but he had a feeling this was a bad idea. He couldn't exactly explain that to James though, "James, I have a feeling, I just know it's bad, don't do this!" wasn't exactly a good counter-argument. They followed the path Umbridge had laid out before them, she put a spell on the door so it wouldn't lock behind her. James took this as 'so she could get back through' but Anders was suspicious. She could have easily cast the same magic to get back. Anders became more weary as they took the same route Umbridge did. They entered a room with a staircase, she was at the top of it. Anders pulled on James's sleeve frantically.

"There's nothing in here," he whispered. "Please, let's go!" James shot him a quick glance and then looked back up at Umbridge who was examining smalls glass containers holding something, a red

liquid that looked as if it could be blood. James reluctantly went back through the door to the room where the dementor appeared. As they left Umbridge turned around and stared at the spot where they had just been. She was certain she had just heard a voice and footsteps. She continued looking suspiciously around the room, she was certain she heard the presence of someone but they were not there. There was only one way that could possibly happen, no one in this world could have obtained an invisibility cloak she thought, except for one person. Perhaps, she began to consider, a certain someone inherited something rather useful.

James and Anders made it to the room. They took off the cloak and preceded to look around. They inspected every item they came across. That's when the sandy-haired mage stood in front of a familiar statue. It was of Tevinter origin, dating back to the times of Arlathan.

"Wait, this statue. I know what this -" Anders called to James.

"Greetings, I am -" It began as James came closer to where Anders was standing.

"Yeah, I know who you are," he interrupted hurriedly. "We need to know about a mirror, a way to transport between worlds. The Tevinters knew about this form of magic -"

"We knew of no such magic -"

"A mirror!" Anders interrupted. "A mirror that can act as a passage between worlds," James stayed next to Anders, he seemed to know quite a lot.

"You mean an Eluvian?" The statue responded in it's haunting voice. Anders had a smile on his lips as the statue responded with these words.

"Yes," he began. "I mean an Eluvian." James looked at him unsure of how to react. He was confused, shocked and a little hurt. Confused because Anders hadn't mentioned this before and James had no idea what the two of them were talking about. Shocked because Anders hadn't mentioned this before and he seemed to have a lot of knowledge on the subject. A little hurt because Anders had kept James in the dark.

"Only five existed, no one managed to unlock it's secrets. They were destroyed," the statue said simply.

"But someone must have done!" Anders insisted. "Someone must have realised something -"

"No," the statue concluded definitely. Anders stood there for a moment in shock, he was expecting more answers. "The magic may still exist however," added the statue. "We could never get any answers."

"If a portal to another world once exists there must be one that goes back -" Anders thought for a moment and then turned to James. "James, where did you appear in the room?"

"Right there," James pointed towards the centre. Anders looked at it gazed through out the room.

"I think -" Anders began before hesitating. "Some magic ritual must be done to create the transition back. However, as you stumbled across the portal accidentally you never learnt it." James's heart sank.

"Then how are we going to get back?"

"There is a possibility that we can learn it from this world, you can't be the first person who has gotten stuck between universes."

"So, we need to learn a magic ritual?"

"That's right, Potter," a high-pitched voice said from the doorway. James and Anders spun round to the source of the voice immediately and sure enough a toad-like old woman was stood staring at them. They suddenly felt like flies flying above a pond, in direct sight of their predator about to be swallowed to a rather unfortunate end.

"Very clever of you to work that out," she began. "You are so much like your father, Potter. Always sticking your nose in where it doesn't belong."

"Yes, I am," James replied with a dark look and a glare. He has never, thought Anders, had this much sex appeal. He shook his head and concentrated on the situation. Pay attention, Anders, he thought becoming irritated with himself.

"Oh don't worry, I intend to give you exactly what you want. I have plans with this world, ones that you will not interfere with," she growled. James froze to the ground as he saw her raise her wand and begin to utter a few words. As James realised what she was about to do he did the only thing he could consider, the only thing that was in his mind. If Umbridge was going to send him back he wanted Anders with him. There was a flash of blue light as James grabbed onto Anders's hand and held onto it as tightly as he could. They were thrown backwards into a blinding white abyss. That's when the inevitable happened – they landed in a room that was very familiar to James. It was a place that filled James with a sense of bliss and belonging. It was in the Department of Mysteries, the Ministry of Magic. As James let go of Anders's hand and looked around in disbelief. This didn't feel real. He turned to Anders with a smile on his face.

"I'm home," James grinned.


	6. Chapter 6 - Home At Last

_Okay, it's been ages since the last chapter. I do apologise. RL has been getting in the way alongside a chronic case of writer's block. Here you are though, a sixth chapter... Yay!_

_I shamelessly "homage" Snape in this chapter. I'm not sorry. Also, sticking with the PG-13 rating is haaard. I think I manage it. _

_Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't have ownership of any of this._

Chapter 6 – Home At Last

The first thing Anders had noticed about James's world is that it was dark. Not only this, but everything was much more impressive somehow - in this particular room anyway. It seemed odd to Anders but still spectacular, he couldn't look away. If there was any free space on the wall, it was taken up by a mirror. Not the grand looking glasses he was used, or the battered wooden hand mirrors that were scattered over the apprentice's dormitory. These were different – they didn't have a grand from they were just glass. It was as if the glass itself was just fastened onto the wall, probably by magic he thought. Despite their lack of grandeur however, there was still something remarkable about them. He gawked at the one closest, as he took in his surroundings another difference struck him: he'd never felt any form of magic like this before. It was different to the kind back in the Circle – back there he could always sense the Fade. He wasn't always aware of it of course, but he just sensed it's presence. In this world, there was nothing like that. The magic he could sense wasn't quite as strong as what he was used to. There was something distinctive about it, something... _Different_. The mirror he found himself gazing into portrayed what seemed to be a completely different place. Like neither James's world or his own. There was a group of terrified people who even he could tell at first glance were poor and a group of dominating figures who were dressed in what appeared to be mages' robes, he suspected they were a much higher authority. The sudden shock of magic appeared when a young girl threw a rock, this form of magic was even more startling to Anders. It was a sudden burst – harsh and unforgiving. It forced him to go back a step and give a sharp in take of breath. He turned around and caught a quick glimpse at James whose hazel eyes were filled with amusement. Anders was about too comment until he ran towards a mirror, this one showed something he recognised all too well.

"That's – that's -" Anders was pointing at it and turning to James for confirmation.

"Yeah, that's the Circle," James said a little sadly. He realised that he did miss it a little, no where near as much as he missed his home when he first found himself trapped in Fereldan however. He wondered how tough Anders was going to find this. Anders stood in front of the mirror, honey-coloured eyes widening. James began to get a little worried as his companion seemed frozen to the spot not allowing himself to look away. He walked towards Anders, stood a little behind and placed his own hand on the boy's shoulder. "You okay?" James asked, through a lack of anything else he could possibly say. It sounded feeble even in his head – he couldn't find a way to phrase what he really want to tell him. Really that's the best I have? Maker I'm bad at this, James thought. He then made a mental note to watch how he was speaking – he'd clearly picked up more from Anders than he had thought.

"Look," he said in a voice that was quiet but not quite a whisper. He pointed towards the mirror, a pointless act considering there was nothing else he could have been talking about. "That's Umbridge, with Irving. And the Knight-Commander! But why -"

"Anders, maybe we should go," James responded as a sudden moment of recognition hit him. They would be asking after them. The way it could be proceeded could take a turn for the worst, particularly as all they would be doing would be making assumptions. They couldn't actually hear anything. James tugged on Anders's mages robes but anything he tried was ineffectual. James had no choice but to stand and watch Anders stare painfully at what was happening. The argument was clearly becoming heated. Umbridge and the Templars appeared to be round on Irving, almost as if they were banding together to claim this was his fault.

"Anders – please -" James tugged harder.

"No! Irving is – why are the blaming him?! Why are they doing this?! The Knight-Commander is a bastard but he's not unreasonable -" A flash of lightening appeared in the mirror and this time James couldn't take it any more. He grabbed Anders's wrist and ran out of the room with him stumbling behind him. James shut the door when they reached the corridor and scanned both directions. They were in a dark room covered in doors and he couldn't remember where the lift was. They needed to get out of here as soon as possible. Under no circumstances could they be found here. James wasn't sure what they did to trespassers in the Ministry but he suspected it wasn't pleasant.

"Irving! What are they doing to him?! Why would they – he didn't do anything -"

"No he didn't," James said distractedly. _How were they going to get out of here? _

"What if they kill -" James could sense where this was going and interrupted Anders immediately. He turned around and grabbed his shoulders. He forced him forward slightly, their eye contact was now unwavering.

"Anders, please. We need to get out of here. We'll talk about this as soon as we are safe I promise but if we get caught in here we might – Well, I'm not really sure what will happen. The point is, this is the _Ministry_. They have power over the entire Wizarding World, this is the Department of Ministries. This is very restricted and very secret. We can't possibly be seen here!" Anders nodded in his panicked delirium. James took his hand and they ran down the corridor. James glasped on to the cold and clammy palm tightly, he could sense the boy's agony but there wasn't an awful lot he could do right now. He had to get them both out of there. He stopped when the corridor split into two – he hadn't predicted this. He looked down both turnings and stood there. He couldn't for the life in him remember which was he had come from.

"Well?" Anders asked after a few moments silence. James turned around and closed his eyes. He tried to remember what happened – he left the lift, he walked through a door, he went down a corridor and turned... Left! He thought triumphantly.

"This way," James replied enthusiastically. Getting out of the Ministry wouldn't be a problem as soon as they were out of here, James knew his way around enough to get them both to safety. His sudden burst of optimism however was destroyed the moment the saw a red-haired figure by the lift. James stood frozen and dropped Anders's hand like it was made of the ice it felt like.

"James?!" The figure said as soon as it left the lift. James was still filled with panic.

"Uncle Bill," he gulped. "Uh – have you met Anders?" He said trying to deviate from where he had been, rather pathetically. Bill seemed to ignore this, and just ran towards him and before James could say another word he was being hugged. Bill ruffled his hair and was beaming. The anger expected wasn't being given to James, then it dawned on him just how long he had been gone. Perhaps his family had gone past the point of anger, then he thought of his mother. That seemed a little bit unlikely. Bill sighed, stood up and looked at him.

"Well – what happened -" James mind fell blank and then a sudden wave of inspiration hit him. "Wait a minute, why are _you _in the Department of Mysteries? Since when do you work in the Ministry -"

"That's..." Bill cleared his throat. "Unimportant. I -" He looked at the two teenagers that where at his feet. Clearly, James had inherited his father's habit of getting involved in things he shouldn't, there was also a certain look in his eye that often reminded Bill of Fred and George. Bill smiled sadly at the memory of his lost brother, there was even something in James's face that resembled George. "I guess we can discuss that later -" His curiosity suddenly turned to Anders. "Who is this?" He asked curiously but not rudely.

"This is Anders," James responded when Anders was too stunned to speak. James gave him a quick look which Anders took to mean "you need to relax". That however, was much easier said than done. "We know each other from Hogwarts." James improvised, he had loved the idea of Anders coming back here with him but he hadn't anticipated how they would handle the situation. It was just dawning on him that Anders would need a whole new identity, no one could know where he was really from.

"Oh, and how did you -" Bill hesitated. "- Never mind, tell me later. Let's get you both... Wait, Anders. Surely we need to get him back to his family?" Anders's mouth opened to speak but James saved him the trouble.

"I was hoping that maybe I could convince mother than he could stay with us for the rest of the summer?" James asked in a hopeful tone. Bill shrugged.

"Fair enough, let's get you both home then," he said defeatedly. "By the way, it would probably be best for the both of us if you're parents where never to find out about where I found you?" Relief swept over James and a grin filled his face.

When Bill had dropped the two teenage boys at the Potters' he found himself walking the familiar route home. He could have apparated but he needed a few moments to consider what he had just seen. The boy, Anders, radiated some form of magic unknown to Bill. That is worrying, he thought. It almost felt like what he'd been told by the Order. All the research he had done up until this point seemed to be screaming themselves at him. It was as if everything that was thought and speculated had one strong piece of evidence that was standing oblivious, blonde and wide-eyed in front of him. James had clearly witnessed it to, otherwise how on earth would he have found Anders? Why would he have been in the Department of Mysteries? That's when a thought struck Bill. He had just taken it for granted up until this point that he would still be able to keep this secret. What if James told his mother and father? The words rang through out his mind that he had seen written on the scrap of parchment in emerald ink: _The Potters must not be involved_. As much as Harry had been involved all those years ago, he could not be seen to be active within the reinstated Order. Bill had no idea why but he needed to follow instructions. Had Anders and James travelled through the cracks in what was becoming known to the Order as the _fade_? Bill shook his head dismissively, in that circumstance James would have to explain to his parents where they had been and why they had been in the Department of Mysteries. _That wasn't going to happen_.

James's home was strange and foreign to Anders but filled him with a sense of astonishment. One that, according to James's constant amused expression, was fun to watch. The first thing that took Anders by surprise was the feeling he got as soon as he walked through the tall, scarlet door. The first thing that he saw was a wide, hall way, an oak stair case, a high ceiling that would envy that in the circle tower and a small, red haired woman rushing towards James and drowning him in her arms. James's ears, to Anders's amusement this time, turned a rather distinctive form of red.

"Mum, get off," James replied in an irritated tone, although he couldn't quite hide the smile in his eyes. The one that showed how happy he was to see her and be home. This gave Anders a quick memory of his own mother, turning her back on him as the Templars took him away. He had a brief memory of a crying child: a brother? A sister perhaps? He would never know now. He shook his head and forced the memory out of his mind. There was no use dwelling on it now. He still couldn't bury this envy however, one that was growing inside with every second in this house. In another universe, his parents _would _have loved him. They'd have continued to protect and raise him regardless of whether he had magic ability. He would be free from the Circle and the Templars forever – in fact, he would probably live in the blissful ignorance of ever knowing such injustice existed. He would soon discover from this meeting that James had a huge family – all of which loved him greatly. A sister, Lily, who looked like a smaller version of his mother with the same fiery glint in her eyes, a brother who looked like James but with bright green eyes. All of them welcomed him and made him feel like a part of the family. He almost felt guilty for resenting them, in fact: he hated himself for it. He longed for what James had, it didn't seem fair. He wondered how many other families had this in this universe and all the mages he knew back in his world he didn't, all because of an accident of birth.

James realised there was something amiss with Anders when they'd reached his home. He couldn't quite work out what it was but he suspected it was either Anders worrying about Irving or being homesick. He attempted to comfort him a couple of times: a grasp of the shoulder, a squeeze of the hand. The most he got from the boy was a look of recognition or a sad smile, it frustrated him greatly. When he eventually managed to get away from his family (assure them they were okay, wolf down masses of home-cooked food that his mother assured them they needed, and attempt to get Albus to stop bothering them for information about where they'd been) he had the intention of questioning him at once. Anders spoke first however.

"Your family, they didn't ask us much about where we'd been," then he looked thought for a moment. "Apart from your brother of course." James shrugged.

"Ah, don't worry. They will tomorrow," James found himself collapsing on his bed, which now seemed huge and unnaturally comfortable, with his arms behind his head. "Anyway you, what's up?"

"Nothing, I'm fine," Anders lied, self-consciously sitting on the end of James's bed his eyes flitting around the room.

"Don't give me that. Seriously, cheer up or spill," he grinned sitting up and crossing his legs.

"It doesn't matter, honestly -"

"Oh my gosh, shut up with protesting and just tell me!" James replied in irritation. Anders sighed and seemed to become rather interested in the duvet cover.

"It's just, everything you have – it -" Anders hesitated. How did he say this without making it sound like he was angry at James for what he had? This was going to be difficult. "It brought back memories of my family, one I can barely remember. I just thought about everything I've been through because I've been gifted with magic, how it would have been different if I'd have been born here." James smiled sadly, having seen what Anders's world was like... He understood, to an extent.

"But you're away from that now?" James asked, he always assumed that as soon as he got Anders out of there everything would be fine.

"Plenty of mages aren't," Anders said quietly but angrily. James leant back in his bed, feeling almost defeated. Anders was right of course, even if he managed to escape the Templars there were plenty of mages who wouldn't. They were probably plenty being beaten or raped right now as they were talking.

"Do you really think you'd make a difference if you where there?" James said after a few moments. A hint of passion sparked in Anders's eyes.

"Someone has to, someone has to make a stand. Make a difference."

"Are you saying you want to be back in the Circle with the Templars?"

"No but -" Anders paused, that wasn't what he wanted exactly but he couldn't change things from here. "- I wish I could stay here, but help." He fell silent again for a moment. "I want to help Irving, all the apprentices -" At this point he seemed lost for words, James understood and to a point empathised.

"You have to choose one or the other," James pointed out, trying not to make it sound like he was giving Anders an ultimatum.

"I know!" Anders replied in irritation. "Although," he thought for a moment. "Umbridge clearly figured out how to transport between universes, right?"

"Yes," James said wearily. He didn't like where this was heading.

"So what if we learned how to? We could stay here but help them in the Circle back in Fereldan," Anders said with a glint of inspiration and determination in his eyes.

"That would be very dangerous -"

"Yes."

"And foolhardy -"

"Certainly."

"We'd have to spend a lot of time sneaking in and out of the Ministry, breaking quite a few laws -"

"Most likely."

"And we'd have to do a lot of work -"

"True."

"I can't even comprehend what they'd do to us, if we where caught -"

"It would be terrible."

"It does sound like fun though -"

"I know!"

"Let's do it!" James finished with a grin. One which Anders was ecstatic to see, it looks like they were going to see Fereldan again. He never thought he would have been so desperate to get back there. It made James happier just to see how much relaxed the idea made Anders. The honey-coloured eyes stared back at them, not quite back to their usual selves. That small glint in them which was usually there, that small amount of jokey humour which always side-lined Anders's personality was gone. James desperately wanted it back but for the moment, he was just happy to have the eyes not looking at Anders's feet, or scrunching up in anger. James was glad to at least have the small smile which made his heart melt. It dawned on him that this was the first time the two of them had ever been truly alone. Alone and free. James took in Anders's appearance for the first time. He then realised he'd never seen the boy with the slight paranoid edge to him. The fear of the Templars was no where to be seen in Anders's body language. James laid back onto his dark blue pillows with his arms behind his head. He grinned at Anders who was just starting to look a little more relaxed. Anders shyly got closer to James and rested his head onto his chest. As soon as he did this James wrapped his arms around him and kissed his forehead.

"We're free now," James whispered. "No matter how they try and catch us, we can always come back here. Now we can be together, always." Every ounce of Anders's being began to relax with the sentence. He realised the boy whose arms he was in was never going to escape him – everything James had said was right.

Anders pushed himself onto his love's chest and forced their eyes to meet. James looked at him with his typical jokey, amused half smile but there was something in his eyes that contradicted it. There was a feeling of intensity, passion, hunger? One that intimated Anders slightly but he couldn't look away. His hands found themselves on James's shirt, desperate to lay his hands on his chest. James held Anders by his waist and pulled him on top of his. Their lips met in a way that had never happened before: it was passionate, harsh, sudden. It was as if they would never get the chance to do so again. It was so violent Anders wanted to push him away but there was also something inside James that pulled them together. James began to take of his shirt as Anders caressed his chest. James's hands found there way into his hair and started to kiss his neck. And from then, the night just got better.

In the Weasley household Bill was pacing in front of the fireplace in frustration. His beautiful wife, Fleur, watched him intensely with the same worried look in his eye. She knew something was wrong when her husband was late home, she was happy as soon as he entered the front door alive. She was distraught to here the news about her nephew at Bill's return. She was glad the boy was alive of course. She just wish it had been in different circumstances.

"What if 'e tells 'Arry?" Fleur asked heavily accented. Bill stopped and stared at her for a moment. Not quite at her: more through her. Bill was clearly thinking to heavily to quite hold her gaze but he seemed too engrossed to take in her appearance.

"I don't know, Harry can't know. Our orders are clear on that front."

"Did you explain this to James?"

"I can't, I just told him I promised not to say a word about where I found him," Bill paused for a moment. "I think because he thinks I'm doing him a favour."

"Ah," Fleur began to show signs of a smile. "So 'Arry will probably not discover -"

"Not yet," He corrected. "We need to act quickly. Most importantly, we need to find out what happened to James."

"'Ow? 'Ow do we do that without our intentions being made clear?"

"We tell him everything," Bill clarified with that familiar smile and glint in his eyes. Fleur look at him like she often did, like her husband was quite mad. She was so stunned by his response she was left speechless. He knew as well as she did that their instructions were clear: _The Potter's must not know a thing_. "Trust me," he said at his wife's expression. "This is the best way."

"I hope you're right," Fleur ended with a grimance. If Bill was wrong, she thought, it would put them all in danger.

Anders woke up in James's arms the next morning, he heard his love quietly snoring in his ear whilst he lay in his warm embrace. It was the most comfortable bed Anders had ever slept in, he spent a few minutes wondering if that was actually the bed or just because James was next to him. Anders sleepily entwined his fingers in James's and ran his fingers across his palm. A soft kiss to Anders's neck showed him James had woken up. He gently bit Anders ear and then whispered "I love you." Anders smiled and held him closer falling back to sleep. James was sure he heard mumble the same in response but he couldn't be sure.


End file.
